In The End
by FanficMonster101
Summary: Sakura thinks on popularity. 5 years old, it was pretty Ino. 15 years old, it was cute Sakura. And in the end, it was just Hinata. She ponders Sasuke's fascination with Hinata, and wonders why, in the end, she lost. Sasuhina, slight Sakura bashing.
1. His Rejection

**Sakura's P.O.V.**

Sakura cries.

Her pretty jade eyes are red. She can't see - the world is so black, so bleak.

She stumbles out the door, the tears running down her face and onto the sidewalk. Leaning heavily on the door frame, she turns her head back to look at him. He is still staring at her. His arms are crossed, he is leaning on the wall. His black eyes bore into hers. She whimpers. He's beautiful...

**Sasuke's P.O.V.**

She looks pitiful. Pathetic. Why is she still in his house? He has given his answer...

She looks very lost. The tiny girl from his childhood is staring back at him now. The strong woman is gone. He knows of the strength she possesses – inside and out. But it is certainly not showing now. She sinks to the ground, clutching to the frame as if it is her lifeline. Her quiet sobs have turned into wails again. He cocks his head to the side. His eyes flash with pity, but automatically revert to emotionless, as he has taught himself. He knows how much she loved him – loves him. The cherry haired woman throws her head forward, as a particularly loud wail escapes her lips. He closes his eyes. Even when she is crying her voice annoys him. It's always too loud, too high. But he absolutely hates the tone she uses with him. It's so sugary, sweet.

Sasuke Uchiha hates sweet things. Haruno Sakura, of all people, should know this. She has been his number one fangirl for years, even when he betrayed the village, betrayed Naruto and her. She still loved him, waited for him. She used almost all her free time trying to get to know him. He shunned her, as always. She found things out anyway, her determination was overwhelming sometimes.

He loved tomatoes, missed his family, loathed his brother, witnessed the massacre, had resolved to be an avenger. And he absolutely _hated_ sweets.

Sakura Haruno loved him, adored him. She had no idea what she was doing wrong. With persistence, he would eventually love her back, right? But he always pushed her away. She loved him _so much_. Why couldn't he see that?!? She loved him!!! It hurt so much, but felt so good. When he complimented her skills after a mission, when he went to Ichiraku's with her, when he smirked at her. Even if it was cold, full of annoyance...it made her feel special.

"Sasuke-kun, please, why can't you see, I love you, so much, I-"

"Stop."

"Wh-what?"

"I said stop, Sakura. I don't love you. Go home."

"But Sasuke-kun-!"

"Be. Quiet. Just. Be quiet."

Me: Owww! That must've hurt...

Chibi Sakura: Sh-shut up!!!

Me: Oh, Sakura, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings-!

Chibi Sakura: Then why is this a...a SASUHINA???

Me: Sakura, you know I love that pairing...

Chibi Sakura: I luv Sasuke! How can you people not see that?!? I am NOT a slut! I would always be faithful...

Me: Ummmm....(cough cough)

Chibi Sakura: Now you doubt me too??!?? (burst into tears)

Chibi Hina: But Sakura, Monster-chan is only trying to convey her feelings!

Chibi Sakura: Shut up, Hinata! Stop being so nice!!!!! It makes you so damn hard to hate!!!!!!

Chibi Hina: Sniff sniff...O-okay....

Chibi Sakura: Awwwwwww.......kawaii!!! (hugs/mauls) Anyways, review, or I shall force Sasunaru porn on all of you!!!!!!!!

Everyone: (gasps) NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!


	2. Her Insanity

Sakura sees before she hears. The pretty blue eyes, the gorgeous blonde hair.

A second later, she hears the slightly nasal voice. "Sakura! SAKURA!!!" The pinkette places a nice smile on her face. "Yes, Ino?" she queries politely as the blonde girl approaches, out of breath. "I just hear the most HI-_larious _rumor. A friend of a friend of Lee's imaginary friends told me that you were dating Naruto!!!" Ino giggles maniacally.

Sakura freezes. Her mind has shut down. She knows that Ino is not just relaying a rumor – she is searching for an answer to the justification.

Without thinking, Sakura blurts out frantically, "Actually, Ino, we are dating."

* * *

A faraway bird sings a sweet song. Hinata closes her eyes to listen to it, letting the world wash away. She is lying on the grass, as far away from the Hyuuga compound as she can be. She opens her eyes, wanting to see the little bird who carries the tune. Directly above her, a little bird colored lavender is perched on a small twig. It's hard to see – it almost blends in with the evening sky. Unseen.

She smiles. It's a pretty bird – so lucky to be blessed with a musical voice and beautiful feathers. And free...so free. Hinata is reminded of herself. Her eyes...her eyes are the same color as the bird. But Hinata is far from free. She is trapped. Trapped by the Hyuuga, by her cousin, by herself. She is bound to the ground, never to fly free like the pretty bird.

Suddenly, the bird pauses its song and flits to another twig. Hinata blinks. There is another bird now. A dark bird, strikingly contrast to its surroundings.

The lavender bird tweets. The other black bird cocks its head, curious. The lavender one breaks out again in song. The black bird hesitantly opens its beak, then closes it. The lavender one sings louder, higher, more joyful. And suddenly, they are both singing. The harmony is beautiful; wonderful; heartbreaking.

Hinata wants to cry. The birds take flight, still singing, high, high into the sky. But, the lavender bird hesitates. It starts to fly lower, safer. The black bird swoops down, up again, then down, urging the lavender bird higher. And then, they are both there, high in the sky, above the clouds, above the atmosphere, flying until Hinata can see them no more.

She smiles.

Suddenly, she sits up in bed. A dream. Just a dream. She gazes out her window to the stars. So far away...forever unreachable.

The two bird's song still rings in her head.

* * *

Sakura sits in bed, staring down at her hands. She has been in this position for a while now. What has she done? She is dating Naruto. Ha. She and Naruto haven't spoken for weeks.

Ino has probably already told the entire village. And...she remembers the bliss of saying the words.

"_Really?!? I thought it was just a silly rumor! How long have you two been together???"_

"_Umm..a couple of...days."_

"_That's amazing! Forehead and Naruto - I never would've guessed!"_

_Sakura pauses. There is something wrong with her brain. She is lying, lying through her teeth, but she is so...oblivious. The consequenses are gone. There is only her, Ino, and her imaginary love with Naruto. She giggles in her head. She feels high. A huge sense of euphoria envelops her. Sensible Sakura loses consciousness. She doesn't know what she's saying anymore. She starts gushing nonsense._

"_Yeah, like, me neither! But he just confessed his complete love for me, and I was so moved, I accepted his date offer to Ichiraku's, and then I realized how a-MAZING he is! He's so funny, and cute, and adorable, and it's just so AWESOME! But the best thing is, I like, totally love him!!!!!!!!"_

"_God, Forehead, that's so cool! And how does he feel about you?!?"_

_All Sakura's sanity was gone. She laughed hysterically, throwing her head back. "Omygawd, that's so weird that you asked that, because just today, while we were at his house, he totally proclaimed his undying love for me!"_

"_Really?!?"_

"_Yeah! He was just like, 'Sakura, I love you so much, you're so pretty, and so smart, and so awesome! You're perfect!' And I just totally exploded with happiness!!!!!!!!!"_

"_Wow, Billboard Brow! But...what about Sasuke?"_

_Sakura's sanity slowly came back. Her whole world halted. What about Sasuke? What could she tell Ino? She decided to let her insanity do the talking._

"_Oh, like, I'm so totally over him. I mean, Naruto and I..." she felt herself grow ten feet. She felt powerful. She could crush anyone! She could do anything! She would make Sasuke jealous, and he'd realize just how much he loved her! She was INVINCIBLE!!!!!!!!_

"_We're going all the way."_

Sakura still hasn't quite recovered. She giggles. It was pretend, lies, every word, but it felt so good, so real!!!!!! She laughs out loud - the sound is crazy, insane, but she doesn't notice. Naruto loves her! He would love her forever, he had said so at his house today, right?!?!? She couldn't remember anything, any events but that hour at Naruto's.

And Naruto would **still** love her, even when Sasuke came to his senses and proposed to Sakura, Naruto would always be there, to love her, when Sasuke was distant, because they were going all the way, and he has always loved her, he told her so at Ichiraku's, right?!?!?!?!? She clutched her head, her messy pink hair falling all over her face and fists. "Oh, Naruto, I love you too, I always will," she whispered into the dark. And suddenly, Naruto is there, holding a candle, his silly grin plastered on his face, his cerulean eyes wide. "I love you, Sakura-chan!!!!" he whisper-shouts to her as he kisses her wide forehead. "I love you."

Sakura falls back onto her pillow, smiling like crazy.

"I love you, Sakura." "I love you." I love you."..............

Sakura Haruno has gone insane.

* * *

* * *

Me: Whoa, intense stuff.

Chibi Sakura: I – I'm insane?!? Monster-chan, how could you do that???????

Me: You did it to yourself.

Chibi Sakura: What???????

Me: You've always been insane, Sa – I mean..............I couldn't help it?..........

Chibi Sakura: (wails)

Chibi Naruto: What did I do to deserve that????????

Chibi Sasuke: When do I get to see Hina?

Chibi Neji: When do i get to see Hinata-sama naked?

Everyone: .........................................

Me: Ew.


	3. Ramen, Among Other Things

Kunai – check. Shuriken – check. Jumpsuit – check. And most important; ramen! ......

Naruto frowns. "Where _is_ my ramen???" he wonders out loud, scratching the back of his head. He glances around his messy apartment. "I had it just a minute ago..."

"Naruto."

"Aughhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!" Naruto screams, hurling the closest thing he can see at the source of the voice.

Sasuke grimaces, removing the pair of underwear from the top of his spiky hair. He gracefully leaps down from his perch on the windowsill. He looks around the apartment, then raises one delicate eyebrow at the blonde boy. Naruto grins sheepishly. "Sorry 'bout that, teme..." Sasuke sighs. "We have a mission today, dobe. Or were you going to throw underwear at the Hokage, too?" Naruto frowns again. "Oi! I was gonna go...I just can't find my ramen..." a little raincloud appears over his head. Sasuke's eye twitches. "Then find it, idiot." Naruto nods vigorously and starts randomly tossing clothing items up in the air. "It's gotta be in here _somewhere_..." he whines, running frantically around the crowded room. Sasuke crosses his arms and sighs again, impatiently.

After a few minutes, Naruto jumps up triumphantly. "A-**HA**!!!" he shouts, holding the precious cup of noodles high above his head. Sasuke smirks and leaps out the window again. Naruto quickly follows.

"...I never knew you had a floor..."

"Awwww, you just shut your mouth, teme!!!!!!!"

Sakura smiles, humming, as she combs out her hair. Today is going to be a wonderful day! Looking out the window, she can see the bright, white-yellow sun shining down on her. Only her. She smiles blissfully, closing her eyes, letting the rays warm her face. She, Naruto and Sasuke will be going on a mission together. She sighs dreamily. Maybe this will be the day that Sasuke realizes his love for her...but then, she'll have to keep Naruto preoccupied. Uh-oh.

She sets down her brush, biting her lip. How will she do that??? I mean, she and Naruto are already dating, so she can't just walk away from him to talk to Sasuke...

And then, she has a plan. Naruto has always been a bit of a pervert (of course, she can't help but think it's adorable) – all she has to do is keep him distracted with some other girl while she and Sasuke spend time together. Her brow furrows. Except for the fact that no girl she knows of likes Naruto like that...she sighs hopelessly. (duh, Sakura! DUH!!!!!!!)

Me: Please don't kill me for the short chapter!

Chibi Sakura: Kill her! KILL HER!!!!!!!!

Everyone: Yeah! *whips out pitchforks* kill the witch!

Me: Ah! *running frantically* Why did you do that???

Chibi Sakura: I've had enough of you calling me insane!!! Why can't anyone see I love Sasuke??? With all my heart!!!! I would _never_ use Naruto...

*crickets*

Chibi Hinata: Review, or Monster-chan will probably meet a horrible end! ^.^

Chibi Neji: *sulking in corner with Kakashi's pornos*

Chibi Kakashi: Dammit Neji, give those back!!!!


	4. Sorry! Disclaimer

Me: ehehehe....*grins sheepishly* apparently I forgot to add a disclaimer...

Everyone: *rolls eyes*

Me: okay, okay. I don't own Hinata, Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, Gaara,Kakashi,Tsunade,Temari,-Uchiha oranyothers. *pant, pant*

Chibi Hinata: ehem...*whisper, whisper*

Me: Oh, right! I do own one person – my OC! Come on out here!!!! *random game show music and clapping*

???: Hiya!!!!!!!

Me: ehem – your name.

???: Oh! My name's Chise!!!

Me: Good girl! Not the brightest girl, but she's a good actor.

Everyone: Next chapter up sometime soon!


	5. The Mission

**Me: Hey, don't you hate it when people mash a bunch of sentences into one paragraph an' it's really hard to read and you kinda just skip over it?**

***no response***

**Me: Well, I decided to fix that by double-spacing! Dontcha just love ma INGENUITY?**

**Shikamaru: Just because you use big words does not make you smart.**

**Me: Aw, you just shaddup, Shikamaru!!!**

**I am not Japanese. I am not a manga/anime design artist. I am not Masashi Kishimoto. But damn, I sure wish I was!!!!!**

"Get up."

Hinata strained against the early morning sunlight streaming through her window. Ouch...what time was it? Who was talking to her?

"Get up." the voice repeated, louder now.

Hinata quickly sat up and blinked around the room. Her cousin was standing at the foot of her bed, arms crossed, an icy glare sprawled across his features. Seeing the hostile expression, Hinata swung her legs over the side of the bed and jumped in front of him. "Yes, Neji-niisan?" she asked politely.

He closed his eyes in irritation. "You have a mission today," he stated calmly and slowly, as if talking to a small child. Hinata's eyes widened momentarily, before she swiftly bowed and sprang into morning-routine action. "Arigatou, Niisan!" she said, sending him a quick smile. He replied with a glare.

She quickly rifled through her drawers, groaning in disappointment when all she came up with was a pair of black shorts, a tank top, and her hitai-ate. She remembered the shorts stopped a couple inches above her kneecaps, and the tank top was long, but hugged her body.

Neji watched all this with silent amusement. His tiny, fragile cousin was never meant for missions - not fit for the life of a shinobi, and lacking skills and abilities to be the Hyuga heiress. He...pitied her. He almost felt bad for her. ...then again, she was the one who had singe-handedly killed his father. He ground his teeth as rage built within him - until she turned around and smiled her small, pathetic smile. All his fury evaporated. No, it wasn't her fault...it was them. Hyuga elders. They were the ones who had killed his father, who had forced this terrible burden on his cousin's frail shoulders.

It was not her fault - he had to remind himself of that before he got to angry with her.

Suddenly, a hand was waved in front of his face. "Neji? Ano, you said you would s-stop watching me change," came the soft voice. Grunting, he nodded and left, making a mental note to go to the next clan meeting.

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Tsunade sighed, massaging her temples with her fingers. Standing in front of her were Sakura, Naruto, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, and Sasuke. Her emotional pupil, the Hokage-wannabe, a random actor, and the stoic rock. She looked at each of them in turn. "Alright, listen up, brats. You four are - well, actually, Dwayne, you can leave now..." Shoulders slumped, the star of 'Tooth Fairy' walked glumly out of the office.

Tsunade continued. "Right, well, as soon as -"

Suddenly, the door burst open. "Gomenesai, sorry I'm late!" yelled a very out-of-breath Hinata Hyuga. Shyly taking a seat beside Sakura, she apologized again.

The blonde 5th Hokage sighed. "Wonderful. Anyway, you four have been assigned a mission. You will recover an important scroll from Suna -" Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "Alright! We get to visit Gaara!" he yelled. Tsunade twitched. "May I please finish???" she asked. Naruto nodded sheepishly and sat back down. She continued. "As I was saying, the scroll was stolen by a thief; a man by the name of Hairuko - and the Kazekage does not know of this. Recover the scroll, but don't let anyone know that is the reason you are there. Sakura, medical nin."

"Hai!"

"Naruto, strength. Also, you know the Kazekage."

"Alright!!!"

"Sasuke, stealth, speed, strength...well, all the stuff Naruto doesn't do."

"Heyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Shut up, baka. Fine."

Tsunade nodded. "Dismissed!"

Hinata blinked. "A-ano, Tsunade-sama...but, what am I? Look-out? Backup?"

Tsunade grimaced. "Um, Sakura, I need a cup of coffee." Sakura looked confused. "But you hate-"

"Now!!!!!!!!!!"

"YesTsunadesama!!!!" Sakura squealed. She paused on her way out the door and blew a kiss to Sasuke, winking impishly. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, and Naruto scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"Sakura! COFFEE!!!!!" Tsunade yelled.

"Ai!!! Y-yes!!!!!!!" And with that she bolted.

Hinata turned again to the older woman. "Why did you make Sakura-san leave?"

Tsunade grimaced again. "If she heard this next part, she would blow her top." Hinata sighed. Sakura did get a little temperamental. "W-well, what is it?"

"Hinata Hyuga, you have to seduce the Kazekage."

Hinata blinked, her brow furrowed, her mouth parted into a little 'o', and she promptly fainted.

Naruto fell out of his seat. "You want Hinata to _what now??????_" he yelled, blue eyes wide. Tsunade growled at him. "Do not. _Scream._ In my office." Naruto just stood there looking dumbfounded.

Sasuke's smooth baritone interrupted. "Why the Hyuga girl?"

Tsunade leaned in closer. "Listen, you two. As you may have noticed, Haruno Sakura is not the most...well-endowed...girl on the planet."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "I agree completely. But the Hyuga is?" Tsunade just chuckled. "Trust me, you weren't there for her medical exam. If she ever took off that jacket..." Tsunade trailed off.

Naruto, apparently regaining his senses, blurted out, "But Sakura-chan is...uh...good-looking!" Tsunade nodded. "Some would also say that of Hinata."

"Sakura-chan is pretty."

"And Hinata isn't?"  
"No, she is, but -"

Tsunade and Naruto were interrupted. "I don't see the appeal."

They both stared at Sasuke. He just eyed them calmly. "I'm stating an opinion." Tsunade recovered first. "Like I said, Uchiha, you've never seen her without that jacket. And that's coming from _me_." She gestured to her own bust line. Naruto slowly turned to Hinata, where she was still lying on the floor. He seemed to be processing Tsunade's words.

_Hinata...without her jacket...hot...pretty...beautiful._

He turned back to the other two people in awe. "I can...see it," he said, dazed, "and I...like it." He finished in a whisper. Tsunade slammed her head down on her desk. God, these kids were idiots! Well, technically, Uchiha was a genius, but he was also a douche, so it canceled itself out.

All three looked up as the door opened. Sakura smiled cheerily at everyone, holding a tray of coffee. She was halfway across the room when she noticed Hinata. "Ummm...what is Hinata doing on the floor?" she asked, confused. Sasuke leaned back in his chair. "Fainted." he explained lazily. Sakura stopped in her tracks, a blush appearing on her cheeks. She just stared at Sasuke, frozen in place.

"Ahem." Tsunade cleared her throat. Sakura snapped out of it and shook her head. "Oh! Right! Here's your coffee, Tsunade-sama." She quietly retreated to her seat, still eyeing Sasuke.

"Thanks. Anyway, someone revive Hinata. You four leave in two hours."

"Hai!"

"All RIGHT!!"

"Tch."


	6. The Gateway

Hinata woke up to the sound of voices arguing. She moaned quietly, but neither seemed to notice.

"But I should revive her!" came a deep, loud voice. Hinata recognized it as Naruto's.

"And why?" said another voice. It was smoother, quieter. Hinata thought it was Sasuke's.

"Because...because..."

"I'm not about to let you do things to her while I'm still in the room."

"What!!! I would never...well, actually...maybe..."

"...no comment."

"I mean, she's cute and all. And the stuff Tsunade said...hey, do ya think she's still a virgin?"

Hinata almost choked. What?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

"I honestly don't care - nor do I want to know. And I thought you liked Sakura."

"Well, I did...but...she loves you, man. And Hinata-chan is...well, she's available, and she's really nice and pretty. You're all Sakura-chan sees. Come to think of it, she's been acting pretty wierd around you lately. Like possessive or somethin'. You guys dating?"

"I think you already know the answer to that."

"Hehe...yeah...hey, I think Hinata-chan is up!"

Hinata squeaked and scrambled to her feet. Naruto and Sasuke were looking at her strangely. Well, Naruto was. Sasuke was just leaning against a wall. Hey...where was she???

"W-where are we?" She asked, confused. Naruto smiled blindingly and pointed behind her. "The Main Gate! Don't worry, we got all...your stuff..." he stopped, blushing. Hinata cocked her head to the side. Why was he embarrassed? Naruto picked up again, mistaking her confusion. "Oh, Sakura's not here yet..." he explained. Hinata nodded slowly. That wasn't her question...oh well. Out of the blue, Sasuke tossed her a bag. "Here. Your stuff." he said emotionlessly. Hinata murmured a small 'thank you' and opened the bag. What the - ?

88888888888ewnarutothatsgross!8888888888

Sakura rummaged around her drawers, trying to find her push-up bra. "C'mon, c'mon, where is it?" she huffed in frustration. "I just had it yesterday!"

A sudden realization dawned on her. "Oh...yeah...I'm wearing it..." She walked over to her full-length mirror and eyed her chest. Huh...not much of a difference. (A/N: Where did she find an A-cup push-up bra? I don't even think they make those!)

She sighed dreamily. She just wanted to impress Sasuke...but she had to get rid of Naruto. How?

She snapped her fingers as another sudden realization dawned on her. "Aha! Hinata! Hinata likes Naruto, and she's pretty, this could work!!!!"

Sakura squealed and started jumping up and down in joy.


	7. A Discovery

If you were in the local bar of a small town, in the Land of Fire, on the dirt road to Konoha, you might see some interesting things.

You would see four people walking through. Ninjas, probably. Your eyes would immediately be drawn to their...**unusual** hair. One (shouting) ninja, spiky blonde hair the color of the sun. Another (daydreaming), short, choppy hair colored a suspicious pink. The third ninja (mortified), inky black hair that could have been blue. And the fourth one, the expressionless ninja, hair the color of...well, black. It was black.

You would next look at their faces. The boy in front, with blonde hair, is marching along, grinning like an idiot. Next would be the girl with unnatural bubblegum locks, smiling at the blonde but glancing every so often over her shoulder at the brooding one. The boy she is staring at is walking coolly, confidently, looking thoroughly bored. And last but not least, the inky-haired girl, rifling through her bag with a look of such horror you have to wonder what the hell is in there.

But, of course, you are _not _in a bar in a town on a road to Konoha in the Land of Fire. And you are not a ninja. But I'm sure you wish you were.

No, you are not a ninja, but the four people you have hypothetically seen **are** real ninjas.

Very real.

A voice suddenly came from the back of the group, sounding weak and utterly despairing. "Ano...can we...g-go back?"

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all turned and stared at their comrade. Hinata's cheeks were pink and she shifted uncomfortably, averting her eyes. "It's just...d-demo...I-I can't wear these!" she blushed a bright red, holding her bag away from her, as if it were on fire.

...and covered in deadly toxic waste.

Naruto's face flushed and he coughed, looking away, while Sasuke rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Only Sakura looked confused. "What's wrong with your clothes, Hinata?" she asked, walking to the girl and taking the offending bag. Curious, she unzipped it and pulled out an article of clothing -

A bra.

Naruto made an odd little sound at the back of his throat, gaping at the skimpy, lacy underpiece. Sakura's face went very, very red, almost glaring at what she was holding. Even Sasuke was staring with his eyebrows raised. _Damn_, he thought, _Tsunade was right_.

Naruto could only form one coherent thought. _Biiiigggggg...it's biiiiiiiigggggg..._

Sakura was motionless for a second. Then she whirled around, a halo of flames surrounding her. "NA-RU-TOOOOOOO!" she screeched, stomping towards him. Naruto let out a girly shriek and covered his face, cowering. "P-Please, Sakura-chan! Don't hurt me! IT WAS SASUKE! SASUKE PICKED UP HER STUFF!" he pointed an accusing finger at the stoic boy.

Both Hinata and Sakura's heads whipped towards the Uchiha. The fire in Sakura's eyes was immediately extinguished. "S-Sasuke?" she asked disbelievingly, shock apparent in her voice - and a hint of anguish that did not escape the trembling blonde beside her.

Sasuke grunted in annoyance. "I didn't pick that out." His gaze shifted to Hinata, eyes narrowing a bit. "Your cousin met me at the door and handed it to me."

Miles away, the Hyuga prodigy sneezed. His bun-haired teammate giggled. "Someone's thinking about youuuu!" she sang. Neji shrugged nonchalantly, secretly congratulating himself.

_Neji, you sly dog._

"Neji, you bastard!" Sakura shook her free fist at the sky, as if Neji was up in the clouds, smirking down at all the silly mortal fools.

Calming down, she turned to the still blushing Hinata. "Sorry, sweetie," she chirped sympathetically. Hinata attempted a small smile. "Ano...that's, ah, thats okay," she told the louder girl.

Sudden inspiration hit Sakura. "But, you know..." she began sadly, inwardly patting herself on the back, "you can't possibly wear these things. They just aren't suited to a mission!" She shrugged despairingly, stuffing the bra back into Hinata's bag. Hinata bobbed her head up and down enthusiastically. "Naturally, we'll have to buy you new clothes..." she took another peek in the bag. "...because it looks like all that's in here are bras and panties." Hinata blushed, still nodding fervently. "So...Naruto will shop with you!" she pushed the boy towards Hinata, who, unprepared, fell over at his unexpected weight. Naruto rubbed his head. "Ow..." he muttered, then froze, realizing what position he was in. He was practically straddling Hinata, who now resembled a strawberry. Wow, she felt nice...wait! No! Bad Naruto! Turning as red as the girl under him, he swiftly scrambled up off of her. "I-I can't!" he choked out, panicking, as Hinata stood up, also looking ready to explode. Sakura's cheerful expression quickly turned irritated. "Why not?" she demanded, hands on her hips. Naruto racked his mind for something, _anything_ to get out of this situation. _If I have to shop for __lingerie__ with Hinata, I am gonna die of a boner!_ And he blurted out the first thing that crossed his mind.

"I-I'm a pervert," he said lamely. Sakura snarled, her plans for Naruto and Hinata thwarted. _Dammit! He's right!_

Another voice joined the conversation, this one smoother, deeper. "I'll do it."

Both Naruto and Sakura turned around slowly, shock plastered all over their faces. Sasuke continued. "It only seems fair. It's almost my fault." He looked at the surprised Hyuga girl. "I should've known your cousin would pull something." his face twisted in distaste at the mention of Neji.

Hinata recovered the most quickly of the three, the other two being rooted to the ground. "A-Arigatou, Uchih-san," she said timidly, bowing.

"Hn." The avenger strode past her, and she, with a quick glance to the two frozen teens, ran after him.

Naruto fell over.


	8. Unattractive

Shopping is fun. Especially for girls.

For some girls, at least. For those particular individuals, shopping is not a chore, but a form of entertainment. They like to try on clothes, and then model them. They like to examine jewelry, spritz perfumes, and strut around in expensive shoes they haven't bought yet.

Hinata was not one of those people.

She had always felt that to enjoy shopping with people like, for instance, Sakura and Ino, she would have to like how she looked. Which she did, to a point. She did like herself! But she did _not_ like herself in Ino's signature skirts, or Sakura's favorite sleeveless top. She did not like herself in towering heels, or fancy scents that smelled nice but kind of triggered her gag reflex.

While Hinata was busy trying to picture a world where Ino wore Hinata's jacket willingly, she didn't notice Sasuke stopping right in front of her. And, of course, she ran into his back. He turned and gave her a look. She 'eep'ed and quickly looked down at the ground. He released a sigh. "We're here," he mentioned. Hinata looked up again, noticing the store. Small, but it sold clothing, so she couldn't complain.

"T-Thank you," she said quietly, poking her index fingers together. He turned away.

"Aa." _Cute._

She took that as her cue to leave, practically sprinting into the store.

He rolled his eyes.

About fifteen minutes later, a pleased Hinata walked out the front door. For a small shop, they actually had quite a few different styles. Hinata, of course, chose baggy, loose clothing.

Humming to herself, she looked around for Sasuke. But she did not see his duck hair anywhere. There were a few people milling about on the road, but none of them were identifiable as Sasuke. Biting her lip, she almost activated her Byakugan. But on the street corner to her left, she noticed a large concentration of females giggling and swooning, surrounding something...or someone. Had to be him.

She pushed her way through the crowd of (rather rabid) girls and indeed found the Uchiha avenger, looking ready to punch someone. Upon seeing her, he immediately grabbed her forearm. "Let's go," he bit out. There was a collective whine from the girls surrounding them. "But why? Can't you stay a little longer?" Said a brunette, latching onto his arm. She batted her eyelashes, trying to look seductive but instead looking a little desperate. Sasuke pulled his arm away. "No." He said coldly. The girl pouted. He began to tug Hinata back through the crowd. Various females made attempts to grab at his clothing, but one icy glare sent them back, cowering. But one woman, extremely persistent, did not let go. "Is this your girlfriend?" she pestered, giving Hinata a sneer. Just as Hinata was about to say, 'Never in a million years', Sasuke, without hesitation, said, "Yes." He pulled free of the dumbstruck woman and continued tugging the equally dumbstruck Hinata away.

Once they were a safe distance away, Sasuke let go of Hinata's arm. She immediately turned to him. "Y-You - you - " she stuttered, embarrassed. He looked at her like she was insane. "What?" he asked, a twinge of annoyance in his voice. "You didn't need to do t-that!" she cried. He frowned. "It was necessary." He began to walk away. "I-It was not!" She grabbed his shoulder to prevent him from leaving. He turned around and raised and eyebrow at her. She flushed and retracted her hand. "Ano...gomen..." she apologized squeakily. He scrutinized her. She hung her head in shame. _Baka, baka Hinata!_

"Is it really so abhorrent?"

She looked up, surprised at hearing his voice. He was staring at her. "N-Nani?" she said, confused. He was still staring at her. It was kind of uncomfortable. "Is the idea of dating me that repulsive?" he asked, fully turning to face her. Her eyes widened. "Um...n-no..." she bit her lip. He 'tch'ed. "Don't lie to me." His eyes narrowed. "Am I unattractive?"

She fiddled with the edge of her jacket. "Iie." This time she was telling the truth. He _was_ attractive. Godlike, even. But looks alone could not compare to...to **him**... "You are...ano...a-attractive," she blushed deeper, "you just...aren't m-my type?" she tried, looking up at him again. He stared at her for a another moment, then, deciding she was telling the semi-truth, turned away again and began walking. _Awkward situation averted,_ she sighed in relief, then smiled.

"And I suppose Naruto-baka is your type," Sasuke mused, still walking. Her smile was quickly replaced with a look of horror. "I wonder how he'd react to that bit of information," he said, looking over his shoulder. Hinata gasped aloud. "Please don't t-tell him!" she pleaded, running after him. He turned suddenly, and she ran into his chest. "Ow!" she muttered, rubbing her nose. She froze when he leaned down, inches from her face. A slow smirk spread across his handsome features. "Of course not." he murmured, then paused. "Unless I feel like it." his eyes glinted. He straightened up and resumed walking. Hinata stood in the middle of the street, blushing like a cherry.


	9. The Scroll

Sakura was...worried. For a number of reasons.

No, her plan was actually going quite well, since you asked. Naruto was appropriately infatuated with the Hyuga heiress and was following her around camp like a Kiba - I mean puppy dog. He made excuses to talk to her, picked up wood for her, carried water, and was practically _begging_ for her attention.

But Hinata's mind seemed to be elsewhere. Which wouldn't have bothered Sakura...

Except that Sasuke's was, too.

Every attempt Sakura made, every conversation she initiated, he brushed off with a 'hn' and walked away. It was _frustrating, _dammit!

And if Sasuke's mind was not on her, and Sasuke had volunteered to shop with Hinata, and they had come back from shopping with Sasuke smirking and Hinata looking red and flustered...

No. _No_, she told herself. _There's no way that he...no. Hinata likes Naruto, and Naruto loves me...but Naruto is distracted by Hinata. And I love Sasuke. And Sasuke loves..._

And then she would panic, and run off to find Sasuke, only to be ignored once again by her true love.

Sakura was desperate. If Sasuke did not love her, and Naruto did not love her, who did she have? Who?

No.

No, she told herself. Naruto _did _still love her. His little obsession was just a phase, and soon he woud come skipping happily back to the girl he truly belonged with, a goofy smile on his face.

No one would take him away. He loved her...he loved her forever.

"No," Sakura muttered, her eyes narrowing.

The raven-haired heiress looked up at her teammate, concern apparent in her eyes. "Sakura-chan?" she asked worriedly. Sakura jumped a little and turned to Hinata, placing a fake smile upon her face. "Ah, it's nothing, Hinata," she assured, then turned back around and resumed stirring the pot of boiling water with a look of despair.

Hinata, unconvinced, also turned back to chopping up the vegetables.

They had rented a room at the inn, and were planning their next move. This was the last town before Suna, and they wanted their strategy all laid out and ready to go.

Both girls' heads perked up at hearing the slam of a door. Sakura abandoned her pot of water and went to greet the boys at the door.

"Sasuke-kun!" she sang cheerfully, skipping towards him. The Uchiha looked up, raised an eyebrow, and sidestepped her, causing her to crash into Naruto, who was just coming in carrying a giant heap of groceries. Unfortunately, Sakura's speed combined with Naruto's lack of balance made both shinobi crash to the floor, sending Naruto's armful of grocery bags tumbling.

Sakura hopped up off of Naruto with a sour look on her face. "Baka!" she bonked him on the head. Naruto flinched and rubbed the sore spot. "Ow, Sakura-chan!" he whined.

Sakura paid him no further attention and turned to her beloved. "Did you get everything we needed?" she asked, eyes sparkling with unveiled adoration. Sasuke nodded, beginning to walk towards the kitchen with his own bags of goods. Sakura frowned, then went after him, leaving Naruto crying over spilt milk (literally).

Sasuke set down the bags on the fading yellow counter. "Here," he said to Hinata, who was still slicing up the carrots. She smiled timidly. "A-Arigatou..."

Sasuke turned around...only to come face to face with Sakura. She smiled up at him, too, but more lovingly. "I was thinking we could make a roast," she said, her voice too cheery for his taste, "if that's okay."

Sasuke regarded her for a moment. "Actually, Sakura...there is something we didn't get." Sakura blinked, then smiled again. "What is it?" she asked eagerly. Sasuke looked straight at her, something he almost _never_ did, and Sakura almost shivered. "A certain brand of sake...Purple Dragon. We didn't find it at the store. Would you find it for me?" he asked, no emotion in his voice.

He didn't need to ask twice. "O-Of course!" Sakura exclaimed, eyes wide, thrilled to not only do something for her future husband, but also to know his favorite brand of sake. She hurried past Naruto, who was still trying to pick up the scattered groceries. He looked so...pathetic...

She stopped in the doorway, looking down at him, and her heart clenched a little. "Sorry about your groceries," she said softly. Naruto looked up, gaping, not remembering the last time Sakura apologized to him.

"Um...yeah. It's...that's okay." He said quietly. Sakura smiled at him, kind of. An odd half-smile, full of some kind of pain. She dropped it immediately, and to Naruto she looked almost...sad. There was something aching in her eyes. Something so dark and desperate - he couldn't look away. But then it was gone; and she was gone.

Sasuke didn't waste any time. "Oi. Baka." He called from the kitchen.

Naruto snapped out of his trance and scrambled to his feet, picking up the half-gathered packages of food and running to where Sasuke and Hinata were standing.

Hinata stopped chopping and looked at Sasuke, confused. "S-Sore wa na-nanidesu(1)?" she questioned, wiping her hands on her pants. Naruto plunked his bags down and turned to Sasuke as well. "Yeah, what gives, teme?" he near-shouted. Sasuke frowned at him. "You're too loud. We should get you a muffler." he walked away towards the couch. Hinata and Naruto followed, but not before Naruto growled out a "teme!".

Sasuke sat down in one of the chairs across from the couch and produced a scroll from somewhere inside his jacket. "The sake was a diversion. I was thinking we could take this oppurtunity to look over the scroll. This," he said, laying out a long and detailed scroll on the coffee table, "is our mission." Taking a seat on the couch, Naruto leaned over the table, reading it slowly.

Hinata fidgeted, still standing. She didn't want to sit so close to Naruto, (for fear of fainting) but the only other place was the chair Sasuke was currently occupying...and Hinata could not think of anything worse than sitting in the lap of the last Uchiha.

Sasuke noticed her just standing still. "Aren't you going to sit down?" he asked quizzically, and his smooth voice made her jump. She nodded timidly and slowly, gingerly sat down next to Naruto, careful to keep as far away from him as possible.

Her plan completely backfired, however, when Naruto ever-so-casually slung his arm around her. "I'm tired of reading. It's just a bunch of useless information on the guy we're targeting!" he complained, resting his head on Hinata's shoulder. Hinata felt extremely faint, as if her soul was about to leave her body.

Naruto turned his head, almost in slow motion, until his lips were only an inch from her cheek. "We don't need to read the scroll...right, Hinata?" he asked lowly, discreetly drawing her even closer, and inwardly congratulating himself on a job well done. Hinata was about to implode in a fiery display of death when Sasuke not-so-subtly coughed - loudly.

Naruto twitched and let go of Hinata, (much to her relief) and crossed his arms. "What, teme?" he almost whined. Sasuke arched an eyebrow. "Well, if you had actually read the whole scroll, you would know your job description," his eyes shifted to the still red-faced Hyuga, "...and Hinata's."

Naruto sank back in the couch. "Well gosh, Sasuke, I apologize for not being abe to read at the speed of light," he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Sasuke sighed irritatedly. "Since you're so incapable, I'll read it to you, baka." He picked up the scroll and began reading while Naruto pouted.

"Haruno, Sakura - certified medic ninja: team medic. Uzumaki, Naruto - Genin..." - at this point, Naruto twitched violently - "strength, technique. Uchiha, Sasuke - Genin..." - Sasuke sneered in disgust at the word - "team leader, strategy, stealth." He paused, reading to himself, then his eyebrows shot up. For the first time since either Hinata or Naruto could remember, he looked faintly surprised. "...ah."

Naruto perked up, suddenly interested. "What is it? Lemme see, lemme see!" He snatched the scroll from Sasuke and read for a few moments. "HOLY SHIT! he all-of-a-sudden exclaimed, nearly dropping the scroll. His eyes were popping out of his head as Sasuke took it back from him.

Hinata was still seated on the couch, looking incredibly confused. "A-Ano...what does it s-say?" she asked, half afraid of the answer.

Sasuke looked at her. "It says here that your job is to...seduce him...and obtain a set of keys to the secret vault under the Kage tower."

Hinata blinked, still confused. "S-Shikashi(2)...couldn't we just a-ask for the keys?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Tsunade's orders are not to let him know why we're there." The Hyuga girl protested still. "Well, why do I h-have to..." she gulped, "s-seduce him? Where does he keep the k-k-keys?"

Sasuke again examined the parchment, and a look of utter distaste crossed his immaculate features. " 'After many failed attempts and lots of sake wasted...we've obtained this information.' " Sasuke looked up and appraised her, making Hinata feel like she was being sized up.

"He keeps the keys in his pants."

Hinata blushed all the way down to her toes, gaping, while Naruto recovered. He gave her a look of sadness. "So you literally have to get into his pants," he said forlornly, sounding almost...jealous?

A few minutes later, Sakura flung open the front door. "I'm baa-aack!" she sang, walking towards the living room, "and I got the sake! Believe **me**, it wasn't easy, but I - " She stopped short upon seeing the state her teammates were in.

Hinata looked like a ticking time bomb, just staring at the opposite wall with her mouth hanging open. Sasuke was lounging in an armchair, staring up at the ceiling, as if pondering something. And Naruto...Sakura looked around, then finally spotted the blonde boy in the far corner of the room, brooding and muttering to himself, a little stormcloud above his head.

Sakura sweatdropped.

Me: Teehee, Naruto in his emo corner.

Naru: *pouts* Hey, that's not funny! *mumbling* Why can't _**I**_ be the Kazekage?

Sasu:*pokes me, annoyed* This isn't a GaaHina, oh wise one.

Me: *pokes back, more annoyed* Hey! I can't resist - it's just too adorable! *squeals*

Hina: P-Please review? I j-just want this over and d-d-done with... *hides face in hands*

Saku: Review, or else...or...else...uh...something...something bad will happen! *holds flashlight up to face* DUN DUN DUN!


	10. The Desert

There was...sand.

Lots of sand.

_Everywhere._ It was a giant sea of yellow, stretching off into the horizon.

Naruto shook his head, groaning in aggravation when a few grains of the stuff fell out. "How do people _live_ here?" he asked, scrunching up his face. They were only a little ways away from Suna now, with only three miles to go. Taking a rest had been Naruto's idea, since the sand was irritating everyone else as well.

Of course it was Sakura who replied. "You're just not used to it, silly," she giggled, rifling through her small bag. Hinata was scanning the area with the Byakugan, and Sasuke was checking their water supply.

Naruto flinched at the sound. She had **never **giggled at him before. At least, not unless he had said something stupid or mildly funny. Weird thing was, for years he had wanted Sakura to giggle at him in a friendly way. **Years**. He had dreamed about this very moment, wanting to hear that sweet sound -

And suddenly he found it a bit annoying. Now he could see what Sasuke meant when he described Sakura; she _was_ mildly irritating.

**Hinata**...now, Hinata was something different altogether. _She_ actually giggled with him, not in mockery. _She _did not think he was a baka, or a screwup. _She_ did not think he was...a danger.

She was different from other people. Things that he normally would not like in anyone else, he found endearing in her. Her stutter was beginning to grow on him; he thought it was kind of sweet. And he had never really been sexually attracted to Sakura, but **Hinata**...whoa, boy - was she ever _hot_. Scorching hot. Sometimes, he just wanted to pin her to the ground and -

"Naruto." came the voice of the last Uchiha, breaking Naruto out of his naughty thoughts.

The blonde nearly jumped out of his skin. "GAH!" he threw the supplies he was carrying up in the air.

Sasuke proceeded to catch the items as they fell with an air of boredom, while Sakura and Hinata looked on in admiration and interest, respectively. "Jumpy, Naruto?" Sasuke drawled, his face expressionless and his eyes smirking. Naruto snarled, balling his fists. "Being a bitch, Sasuke?"

And what transpired next was something Naruto would later call, 'The Mother of All Shitfests'.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Naruto didn't really _mean _to start a fight. He was just so tired, and so sick of Sasuke and his stupid attitude. What the boy really needed was a good punch in the face. Naruto could just imagine it - he would challenge Sasuke to a fight, and there would be about two minutes of battling before Sasuke fell to the ground, defeated by Naruto's awesomeness. And Sakura would finally have some damn _respect_ for him, and Hinata would run up to him, concerned for his well-being (_Naruto-kun, a-are you okay? Let me see y-your wounds...and your muscles..._) and Naruto would become Hokage and the entire village would love him and Hinata and Sakura would be the heads of his harem -

Whoops.

Bad thoughts.

He cleared his mind and focused on Sasuke, who was now glaring at him. He and Naruto stood facing each other, only about fifteen feet apart, with Sakura and Hinata looking on from the sidelines. The air was crackling with tension. "N-Naruto-kun..." Hinata called out softly, albeit helplessly, not wanting a fight to erupt in the middle of a mission.

Naruto, hearing his name come so sweetly from her lips - turned his head towards Hinata for one split second, his eyes sparking.

It was enough.

Sasuke's eyes widened just a fraction of an inch before settling back to normal. His face stayed void of any feeling.

"Naruto," he said, and his teammate's head abruptly snapped back to him. He cocked his head to one side, his deep voice betraying nothing. "If you're sexually frustrated, you could just _ask_ Sakura."

"...!"

Naruto Uzumaki wasn't stupid, despite practically everyone who knew him claiming that that was exactly what he was. Dense, yes. A bit ignorant, yes. But not stupid.

Naruto's cerulean eyes widened in shock. He stared back at the Uchiha, his mouth agape in horrible realization. _He knows. He __**knows**__._

Foggily, he heard Sakura's rather harsh gasp coupled with Hinata's gentler one. "N-Naruto?" this came from the pink-haired girl. Sakura put her hands on her hips, her eyes full of confusion, and disbelief, and maybe even a little disgust.

Naruto looked at her, panic creeping into his system. His gaze shot back and forth from Sasuke, looking so convincingly bored, Sakura, looking so _shocked_, and Hinata, sweet Hinata, looking very confused.

His voice came out in a shaky way. "T-That's not true, Sakura-chan! I-I swear!" He stared at her, pleadingly, silently begging her not to pummel him. To everyone's abashment, her gaze softened. "Naruto..." she walked to him, slowly, and he stood paralyzed with surprise. She stopped, right in front of him, the girl he had always dreamed about, had spent his _whole life _pining after...and smiled up at him.

Her smile stopped his breath short. It was full of...LOVE. Adoration. Things that Sakura had never given to anyone but a certain Uchiha.

Her actions after that smile just continued to astound him. Sakura reached up and caressed his tan face with her gloved hand. She sighed pleasantly. "Oh, Naruto..." she patted his cheek affectionately. "If you wanted to take the next step, you should've talked to me!" Her voice was full of gentle reproach. "Is this why you've been so agitated?" she tilted her head and continued smiling kindly.

"..."

Naruto should've been **enthralled**. He should have been jumping for joy. Instead, he was frozen here, with his childhood crush cradling his face, his best friend watching them with a triumphant look in his eyes, and his love...yes, _love_, staring, startled. He _loved_ Hinata. He loved her. This was not some ridiculous little episode of lust, which he had experienced a few times, or a fleeting crush. He was _not_ a little boy anymore - he was not that stupid kid who pined after his pretty teammate while she fawned over a bastard that could care less about her. He was a man - and he knew what he wanted.

This time, when he spoke, his voice came out strong. "Sakura...I don't want that from you." he said camly, quietly. Sakura didn't seem to take him seriously, only laughed fondly. "It's okay to admit it, Naruto. It's completely normal for a man in a relationship to want to take things further." These words confused him. "I'm not in a relationship," he said, not understanding her. Sakura stopped laughing and looked at him frankly. "Uh...yes you are," she said, looking at him like he was the biggest idiot on the planet. Still staring into her eyes, those eyes he fell in love with, he slowly shook his head. "No...no, I'm not. I'm not in a relationship, Sakura. What are you talking about?" She was now frowning, and she retracted her hand from his cheek, instead crossing her arms. "Don't be stupid, Naruto. You're in a relationship with _me_." She was now looking slightly annoyed at his apparent ignorance. The blonde shook his head again. "Sakura, we are not in a relationship. We aren't dating! I don't have any idea what you're talking about!" His voice had a frenzied edge to it. What was she saying? There was nothing between them, she didn't like him!

His eyes softened as reasonable explanation started to cross his mind. _She's sick, or something. She caught some illness, and now she's delirious_. Satisfied with the answer to his own question, he looked down at her concernedly. "Sakura, do you feel alright?" He made to put his palm to her forehead.

Angrily, she swatted his hand away. "Naruto, stop messing around! It isn't funny!" she said, raising her voice. Naruto peered into her eyes, looking for signs of fatigue, or delirium. "Sakura, you should rest - you're not making any sense," he suggested gently, reaching for her again. "NO!" She shouted, and stomped her foot so hard it it blew the surrounding sand up into the air. Hinata, eyes wide, called out, "Sakura - !" The rose-haired woman snarled. Naruto backed up, looking a little frightened again. "Okay, okay, I -"

"_NO!_" She shrieked, advancing on him. "YOU LOVE ME, NARUTO! YOU _SAID _SO!" Her eyes were now more desperate than furious, and she looked on the verge of tears. Still, she kept stalking towards him. Naruto was looking more and more uneasy. He did not want to fight her...not when she was this unstable. "Sakura, just listen - " he tried, but she was sobbing now, tears streaming down her cheeks, still storming towards him. "YOU PROMISED! YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME, I HEARD YOU, I _**SAW**_YOU!"

A voice from behind her stopped her in her tracks. "Sakura." She slowly turned. "S-sasuke..." she whispered, staring into his dark eyes. He was right behind her now, leaning over her. Relief washed over her. _Sasuke_ would tell the truth. _He _would make Naruto see sense. "Sasuke - "

The Uchiha's eyes shifted to something behind Sakura and he nodded ever-so-slightly. "Go."

Sakura felt a light tap on her neck. Her seafoam eyes widened as she felt her vision get fuzzy. She vaguely heard, "I-I'm sorry, Sakura-chan..." before her world went black.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Me**: Ooooooooo! Sakura's secret is out in the open now! *holds flashlight up to face* The plot thickens!

**Sasu:** *laughs evilly* Now Hinata will be mine!

**Naru: ...**I'm still here, you know...

**Sasu:** Damn. *shrugs* Well, I'll fix that soon enough.

**Me: **I'll update eventually, within the month. (Hopefully.)

**Naru: ***cautiously* ...what do you mean, 'fix that'?

**Hina**: *bows* P-Please review! It will make Monster-chan h-happy!

**Saku**: *unconcious*

**Naru**: Sasuke? What do you mean, 'fix that'? *panicking* SASUKE?


	11. The Hospital

She looked very...peaceful.

She had not looked so completely at peace in months than she did now, with her eyes closed, and her forehead free of lines.

It was now that her beauty was really apparent.

Sakura had a light, even tan, and her skin was unblemished. Her light pink hair, the color of the flower for which she was named, was spread out behind her, and her lashes rested lightly against her cheeks.

She did not _look_ unwell.

Hinata blinked, trying to keep her heavy eyes open. She stifled a yawn, placing her hand over her mouth. Maybe staying up all night hadn't been the best idea.

"Hinata-chan!"

Said Hyuga heiress jumped in her seat. She whipped around to see Naruto, standing in the doorway. "N-Naruto-kun!" she said, surprised.

Naruto smiled lightly. "Hey, whatcha doin' here?" After saying thw words, he immediately gave himself a mental slap. _She's sitting in a chair by the bedside of her hospitalized friend. What do you __think__ she's doing?_

Hinata lowered her eyes. "I-I'm just w-worried for Sakura-ch-chan," she said softly, her eyebrows drawing together. Naruto's smile fell. "Yeah..." He looked over to his teammate, motionless and silent. He began to speak. "The doctors said she was dehydrated...but they don't know what caused her breakdown. They said that when she wakes up, they'll do a few tests, but..." he trailed off, pressing his lips together. He was concerned for Sakura, he was...but what she had said to him in the desert...it was still running around in his mind. Had she been so delirious as to conjure up a relationship between them? He hadn't even tried to make a pass at her the whole mission. He hadn't given her any cause to think that there was something between them. So what had she been thinking? She definitely didn't like him, right? She loved Sasuke. She'd **told** him so on multiple occasions.

He was jolted back to reality as someone groaned. Confused, his eyes fell on Hinata, but she wasn't looking at him. She was staring at Sakura, eyes wide. He turned to look at Sakura as well - her forehead was creased, and she had shifted slightly. Hinata looked back at Naruto, her eyes sparkling. "S-She's okay..." she whispered. Naruto was captivated by her. She looked so joyful, so happy...she was beautiful.

"Hinata," he whispered.

"Oi. Dobe."

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Naruto ground his teeth in frustration. _Damn it. Ruining all the moments. _He turned around and there was Sasuke, leaning against the doorframe. The Uchiha's eyes fell on Sakura, examining her. There was a moment of silence. "We received a message from the Hokage," Sasuke finally murmured.

Naruto perked up. "Yeah? What'd she say?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head. Sasuke shifted slightly. "The mission continues as planned."

The Avenger watched Hinata bite her lip, and concern fill her eyes. She was obviously worried for Sakura, but he was smart enough to know that she was also worried about her..._odd_ role in the mission.

He spoke again. "The Kazekage has already been informed of our presence, and wishes to see us." This he said with narrowed eyes. He definitely did not enjoy the company of the red-haired Kage. Not only did he and Gaara hold grudges against each other, but frankly, he just didn't **like** the guy.

Naruto stretched, yawning. "Well, Gaara hates waiting..." he chuckled nervously, "so I say we get to the Kage tower." He ambled out the door past his dark-haired friend. Sasuke glanced at Hinata for a moment, before following suit.

The white-eyed female took one last look at her friend, then hurried after her teammates.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Me: **Oops. Meant for that to be longer. *sweatdrops* Ehehehe...

**Naru:** Kami, Sasuke! Can't I ever get a moment along with Hinata-chan?

**Sasu:** *smirks* Quit complaining. It's a Sasuhina, so I obviously get all the romantic moments.

**Naru:** *bursts out laughing* You're about as romantic as a floorboard, teme!

**Me:** Oh, don't worry, Naruto. You get to walk in on Sasuke and Hinata in the next chapter.

**Naru:** YAY! Take that, Sa - ! Wait. What are they doing when I walk in?

**Hina: **R-review...and you'll get t-to meet G-Gaara!

**Naru: ***freaks out* Holy sh**! Are they _doing it_? ...Hello?


	12. A Party

**Me: **Yippee skip. I really went all out on this chapter. Is this long enough for everyone?

**Sasu: **No.

**Me: **(brandishes stick of doom) Shut up, you emo asshole!

**Naru: **(bursts out laughing) Damn, you got served, Sasuke!

**Sasu: **(glares, takes out katana *again*) Shut up or I'll stick this sword in you.

**Kanku: **That's what he said.

**Everyone: **Go to hell, Kankuro!

**Kanku:** Jesus Christ, you're all as prudish as Gaara...

**Me: **(pushes Kankuro off cliff) ...who will be appearing in this chapter. Enjoy my long, rambling chapter!

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Gaara no Subaku, current Kazekage of the Sand Village, the feared Jinchuuriki of the demon Shukaku, was very amused.

A few days ago, he had recieved word from his very good (only when drunk) friend, the Hokage, informing him that she was sending Naruto, along with a few of his friends, to celebrate Gaara's birthday. Gaara had thought that extremely odd. Who the _hell_ would want to celebrate the day of his birth? Gaara certainly didn't want to...

It turned out that the 'few friends' included the Uchiha avenger (Gaara thought about doing away with him in the middle of the night and blaming it on Kankuro), the loud, pink-haired girl that had healed said brother, and the extremely shy (for some unknown reason) Hyuga heiress. Unfortunately, when they had arrived, one of those 'friends', the pink-haired Sakura, had been passed out, being reluctantly carried by the Uchiha. So Gaara had had to wait - something he absolutely _hated_ to do - for his best friend, his worst enemy, and a girl he barely knew, to come back from the hospital.

And now here they were, standing in his office. Oh, he was _extremely _amused.

Naruto had burst through the door, immediately launching himself into the room with an elated "GAARA!" Gaara allowed the tiniest smile in the universe to creep onto his face, before Naruto's comrades also entered the room.

The Uchiha came in, exuding an air of unmistable power, and glared as though he was trying to burn a hole through Gaara's eyes with his own. Gaara answered with his own icy glare, mentally trying to calculate the number of years Kankuro would spend in prison for "killing" Sasuke.

Then the Hyuga heiress walked in, blushing and poking her index fingers together, watching Naruto chatter away in Gaara's unlistening ear. How cute.

...which is what he would have thought, if he had been a remotely normal person. Vaguely, in the back of his mind, he registered her flushed cheeks, wide round eyes, and nervous behaviour as what others called "cute". He'd heard Naruto, Kankuro, and even the Nara call girls cute, and he had picked up on what it meant. (Shikamaru had had to run for his troublesome life when he accidentally called Temari such a name while Gaara was walking by.)

Naruto abruptly shut up and stared as Sasuke moved from the doorway to make room for the girl. Gaara examined at the two of them. Naruto was glancing at the girl out of the corner of his eye, utterly silent, and the Sharingan user didn't even look at her once, instead choosing to fry Gaara's eyeballs with his stare. The Hyuga was just...blushing.

This was incredibly amusing, he had to admit.

Naruto broke the silence, as was his custom. "So, Gaara..." he began, grinning his goofy smile, apparently broken out of his Hyuga-induced spell, "I hear it's your special day..."

In a flash, he had sidled up to Gaara with a sly look on his face. "You gonna throw a wild party?" he asked, eyebrows raised, nudging the still-seated Gaara in the ribs.

There was no hesitation on the Kazekage's part. "Yes," he answered in his monotone. Naruto looked surprised, then ecstatic. "Really? Wow, I was only joking, but hey, if you're actually gonna do it, we'll come!"

At this, Sasuke grunted and sent his teammate a look. "He didn't invite us yet, dobe." Naruto pouted at his best friend, then turned back to Gaara, his eyes watering and wide, and lip quivering. "Will you please please please pretty please with a cherry on top and sprinkles and maybe some of those little chocolate chips that Hinata-chan puts into her cookies - "

"Naruto," Sasuke interjected tiredly.

" - invite us to your party?"

Well, that was something. He didn't mind having the blonde boy at his party, but...Gaara's eyes shifted over to the first person who had ever made him bleed - Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke was giving him a looked of umbrage, but there was something else in his eyes. Something that Gaara had never seen in the boy's eyes before, except when he was sparring against Naruto. Was it...respect?

Did the Uchiha, however begrudgingly, respect him?

The thought made him...pleased. It was 'nice'**(1) **to be respected by the man who had defeated Gaara's almost-killer, that annoying blonde man who looked a hell of a lot like Ino Yamanaka...

Somewhere, up in Ninja Heaven, Deidara stamped his foot in outrage. "What the fuck? I don't look like Ino!" He yelled, though the effect of his profanity was dulled somewhat by the adorable little halo hanging above his head.

Sasori, as he walked/floated by, said boredly, "Yes you do."

Deidara gave Sasori the finger. "Fuck you, Sasori! You're a puppet!"

"...ouch."

There was silence for a moment.

"Hey, why the hell are we in Ninja Heaven anyway?"

_Meanwhile, at the League of Evil - I mean, the Kazekage's office..._

Very well. Gaara would invite them to his 'fucking-super-amazing-party', as his brother drunkenly put it.

"Come to my party." It wasn't exactly an invitation, but it was the closest Gaara would probably ever get. Naruto stood up from where he had been sobbing on the floor and practically glomped Gaara. "Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!" he cried, tears streaming down his cheeks. Gaara was no longer amused.

Hinata giggled and Sasuke sighed at Naruto's antics. The white-eyed girl watched Gaara's icy blue eyes filled with annoyance, but a hint of happiness at the same time. She smiled softly. _Naruto really can make friends with anyone...even Gaara._

And then her heart stopped as she remembered that tonight, she had to seduce Gaara, in a believable way, while also obtaining a key, which he apparently kept in his _pants _-

She gulped, feeling a faint coming on. _No, bad Hinata, don't faint, don't faint - !_

"Hyuga. Don't faint."

Hinata whipped her head to the side to look at the boy beside her. He was staring at her out of the corner of his narrowed eye, still facing ahead. She blushed a nice maroon color and gulped, nodding. Sasuke, satisfied, shifted his gaze back to Naruto...who was now...tickling Gaara...what the hell?

Sasuke cleared his throat loudly. The blonde Hokage-wannabe stopped poking and prodding Gaara's sides and looked up. "Huh?" he asked, confused. Sasuke sent him a glare, crossing his arms over his chest.

Naruto retracted his hands. "Ehehe...sorry, Gaara," he apologized, rubbing the back of his head, but still smiling. Gaara shrugged a tiny shrug, which Naruto took to mean, '_I forgive you. ...even though I'm kind of creeped out. Except that I'm Gaara, and I don't __get__ creeped out. In fact, I'm not human. I'm actually a robot cyborg, despite the fact that I can cry (I will kill you if you ever mention it), bleed, and now, sleep. But I don't sleep anyway, because I'm the Kazekage, and I spend all my nights bedding beautiful women.'_

...but maybe Naruto was imagining things.

Hinata's timid voice broke him out of his thoughts. "A-Ano, Kazekage-s-sama...what should we w-wear?"

"Clothes." Came a confident voice that was _definitely _not Gaara's.

A door opened to their right and out strolled Kankuro himself, grinning like a fox. He stopped at Gaara's side, opposite Naruto, and looked Hinata up and down. "But in your case," he raised his eyebrows, "I think we can make a little exception." He winked at her, and she flushed, eyes darting to the ground.

Naruto bristled with anger. "What the fuck, man?" He practically shouted.

Kankuro shrugged. "What?" He asked innocently, turning to face Naruto. Naruto growled and leapt over Gaara's desk, tackling the puppet user to the ground.

Sasuke mentally face-palmed, and Hinata stood, dumbstruck. Gaara just watched with a weird smile on his face.

"You're a BASTARD!"

"No, YOU'RE a bastard!"

"Nu-uh, you're the bastard!"

"You're the bastard!"

"You're the bastard!"

"I AM the bastard!"

"Hell yeah you are!"

"You the man!"

"No, you the man!"

Now everyone was twitching. Naruto and Kankuro were now playfully punching each other on the arm (still on the ground) and grinning like idiots. Now it was Gaara who cleared his throat.

The two jokesters got up, brushing themselves off, and nudging each other, smiling. Hinata shook her head. _If Sasuke wasn't Naruto's best friend, it would've been Kankuro...or Kiba._ With a thought to her old teammate, Hinata smiled lightly. She missed Kiba and Shino. She missed Kiba's crazy, love-life behavior, and Shino's calm, dependable demeanor. Heck, she missed Akamaru, too. She missed training, she missed their team missions, she missed going out to eat with them, and simply talking with them...

Team Seven had always been in the center. Everyone had always loved Naruto, been _in_ love with Sasuke, and secretly cheered on Sakura. They had been the elite team, with Hatake Kakashi of the Sharingan as their sensei, and everyone had admired and respected the trio. Hinata had liked Sakura, and held no ill feeling towards Sasuke, but she loved Naruto. He was her own personal sun, the white knight in shining orange armor. She had loved him. She loved him, even now...right?

Yes. She knew she did; he made her happy, he made her laugh...

But she missed her _own_ team. They hadn't been prodigal, they hadn't been destined for greatness, but they were her brothers. They were Kiba and Shino, safe and secure, normal and easy to talk to. Team Seven had always been an agglomerate of tension - Naruto and Sasuke's rivalry, Sakura's love for Sasuke and her hesitant feelings toward Naruto...and Sasuke's haunted past certainly didn't help make it a very cheerful situation. But they had had an epic story, and people watched them closely - they knew, that someday, if not now, then eventually, Team Seven would play a humongous part in the Ninja World.

Team Eight would never play that part. They would never be legendary ninjas; great ninjas, maybe even excellent, but not the stuff of legends. Not the New Sannin. Hinata was fine with that. She did not want to be in the limelight, she wanted a normal, non-troublesome life...cripes. Now she sounded like Shikamaru.

She was abruptly pulled from her thoughts by someone snaking an arm around her shoulders. _! _She 'eep'ed and was about to Jyuken the bastard when they ruffled her hair. She looked up, and saw Kankuro grinning down at her. "I was just kiddin' about not wearing anything, cutie," he told her, his eyes full of kind mischief for once. Behind him, she could see Naruto, huffing in indignation, Gaara, watching them interestedly, and Sasuke...not caring. She blinked, then gave him a weak smile, still very aware of the arm around her shoulders.

"Kankuro," came Gaara's voice. His face still held a stone-like quality to it, even though his eyes were vaguely entertained. "Temari wanted you to set up the strobe lights...remember?" God, even his questions sounded like monotone statements. Kankuro immediately released the uncomfortable Hyuga, panicking. "Holy shit, she's gonna kill me!" he sped away, faster than Hinata had previously thought possible for a human.

Naruto blinked once, twice. "Strobe lights?" He echoed, disbelieving. Gaara nodded, but did not further elaborate. "My party is in one hour," he informed them, cocking his head to one side. And then a creepy smile, reminiscent of the kind of expression Gaara wore when he was about to _Sabaku Sousou_**(1)** someone. "I hope you all have an enjoyable time."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**(1) **= I know, I know...Sasuke hasn't really shown any signs of respecting Gaara in the manga/anime. But it's for the sake of the story. And really, Gaara's the Kazekage. Sasuke's just a jonin. He probably _should_ respect him...though with Sasuke, you never know.

**(2) **= Desert Funeral. Gaara's signature killing move, preceded by Sabaku Kyuu (Desert Coffin).

**Me: **Well isn't this lovely. Hope you liked it. (squeals like a fangirl) Oh Gaara, you sexy Kazekage...!

**Gaara:** I'm standing right here.

**Me: **GAAHHH! Crappuccinos, you scared me!

**Sasu:** ...crappuccinos?

**Me: **Shut up, Uchiha! I don't swear, unlike _some _people!

**Sasu: **You can't even say crap?

**Me: **(blushes) Don't say _that word_!

**Sasu:** ...you prude.

**Naru: **(sticks out lower lip, crosses arms) Why can't Hinata seduce someone else? ...Like, the future Hokage?

**Sasu: **Because she would still see Kakashi around town.

**Naru: **(stares) ...Some day, Sasuke, you're gonna wake up without a dick.

**Sasu: **I know you don't like your own, but I think you should learn to love a tiny penis.

**Naru: **YOU'RE DEAD, UCHIHA! C'MERE! (lunges)

**Hina: **(pokes index fingers together) A-ah...review, please. Before N-Naruto-kun a Sasuke-s-san kill each other...

**Sasu: **(pauses momentarily, stops biting Naruto's arm) ...'Sasuke-san'? Are you going to call me that ten chapters from now...in bed?

**Hina: **(mortified) Meep!

**Naru: **I AM GOING TO RIP OUT YOUR TONGUE, SET IT ON FIRE, AND STICK IT UP YOUR - !

**Gaara: **(whips out popcorn and pulls the fainted Hinata into his lap) I'm going to enjoy this.


	13. Wanted

**Me: **Hey, remember that OC I introduced a million years ago? (in chapter 4)

**Hina: **Y-Yes...

**Me: **You don't remember, do you.

**Hina: **N-No...

**Naru: **(scratches head) Was there even a point in making her up?

**Me: **(grins) There is now! She'll be appearing in this chapter. As what, I can't tell you. But it'll be...uh, something.

**Sasu: **How informative. You really are a crappy author, you know?

**Me: **You know what? Fuck you and your deceased clan.

**Naru: **Wow, she does swear!

**Hina: **(holding Sasuke back from murdering Monster-chan) P-Please enj-joy! (whacks Sasuke over the head) S-Stop t-that!

_***Warning!* This chapter is extremely freaking long.**_

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Well.

This was awkward.

Naruto examined himself in the mirror, twisting and turning so as to capture all the angles of his image. "Do you think I look fat in this?" He asked thoughtfully, not turning around.

They were changing for the party - both were wearing plain kimonos and dark hakamas. Since they really had not been packing for a party - damn Tsunade and her make-it-up-as-we-go-along plans - Kankuro had generously offered up his own room, and lent them some clothes as well.

His companion leaned languidly against the dark blue wall. "Yes." He monotoned. Naruto turned around then, frowning. "Kami, Sasuke. You're a _terrible _clothing buddy. How did poor Hinata-chan survive on your shopping trip?"

Sasuke invisibly flinched at the sound of her name. Ugh. _Hinata, Hinata_...it was all he heard these days. It was as if the little incident outside of Suna hadn't phased Naruto at all, and he was brushing it off like it was nothing. Like Sasuke didn't **know **for a **fact **that Naruto was blatantly infatuated with the Hyuga. Even if his method didn't quite go as he had thought, the Uchiha still had this little bit of information.

Then again, it wasn't like Sasuke had really thought about his plan beforehand. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing - he had only wanted to see how Naruto reacted. He didn't consider the fact that Sakura might have been fucking _deluding _herself for who knows how long into thinking that Naruto was dating her, or that Naruto would _turn her down _like he hadn't been _ridiculously in love with her _for the past 10 years.

It was detestable**.**

How had this one girl, this tiny, insignificant Hyuga mouse, managed to cause so much fuss? Sakura was in the hospital, Naruto was pining, and Sasuke was...

Fascinated.

There, he'd said it. He wasn't going to lie and say that he was not at all intrigued by her, or that he was never going to spare her a second glance. She did not have some kind of astounding beauty - though Naruto ranted constantly about how goddamn pretty she was - and she was definitely not incredibly skilled, or talented. She didn't even have anything for herself; the Hyugas practically owned her.

But Sasuke was fascinated by her. She was so small, so unnoticeable. Yet so many rallied to her. Whenever her lip quivered, and her eyes shone with unshed tears, there were at least five people there to comfort her and mentally squeal, _'KawaiI!'_. When her father looked down on her, scores of young medics looked up to her, sighing in adoration at their brave little teacher. When she smiled, you smiled - it was natural, and you couldn't stop yourself. Unless, of course, you were a complete ice block like Gaara, Sasuke, and her own cousin, Neji (though Sasuke had a feeling that Neji actually did like his timid cousin, despite being all **"I'm-gonna-kill-you-while-your-apathetic-father-watches-from-the-stands" **disposition during the Chuunin exams).

So here he was, leaning against a wall, not listening to Naruto babble on and on about how fat he looked in a hakama, and musing on Hinata Hyuga. Maybe she was not physically powerful - maybe she was weak-willed - but she had everyone on her side with just a stutter, just a little blush. Which he might have found annoying, had he not found it so adora-

No. She was _not_ adorable. Or, more accurately, Sasuke Uchiha would never call her adorable.

Except when she was looking up at him with those big, glassy eyes.

And smiling.

And blushing.

And -

"Sasukkeeeeee," whined Naruto, tugging on his sleeve, "pay attention to meeeeeee!"

Sasuke turned to the blonde. "No." He muttered, glaring. Naruto was undeterred. He had known Sasuke for a long time, and thus he was not affected by Sasuke's "bite-me" attitude. "Pweeeeaaaasssee?" he asked sweetly, biting his lower lip. His friend twitched. "No." He said again, though not as coldly as before. Naruto puckered his lips. "How 'bout for a kiss?" Sasuke made a noise in the back of his throat and pushed the boy off of him. "The answer is now **definitely **no."

Naruto pouted and made a grab for Sasuke, who ducked out the way. He tried again, but the Uchiha slipped out of his grasp.

Soon, he was chasing Sasuke all around the room.

"C'mere, Sasuke! I know you want a kiss!"

"Fuck off!"

"Not without yoouuu!" He lunged.

There was the sound of a door opening.

"...!"

Sasuke and Naruto looked up.

A servant girl was staring at them, a little disgusted. Naruto was straddling his paler teammate, having successfully tackled him to the ground. They were in a pretty compromising position, seeing as how Naruto had neglected to close his kimono, which was still hanging open, baring his muscled chest. "Hi," Naruto greeted cheerfully.

The girl tried her best not to look so repulsed. "The Kazekage...requests your...prescence." She visibly shuddered, as if imagining what kind of deeds these two would have done - in Kankuro's room, no less - had she not shown up.

"Thanks," trilled Naruto, flashing her a grin. The servant girl bowed low before exiting the room and closing the door behind her.

Naruto turned back to the man under him with a mischievous smirk. "Now, where were we?"

The distinct sound of bones cracking was heard throughout the hallway.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Hinata hummed softly, running the brush through her long hair. She glanced at the mirror on the wall in front of her and spied someone. "A-Arigatou, Temari-sa-san," she said gratefully.

Temari looked up from her own handheld mirror. "Sure thing, hon," she said brightly, then went back to applying her lipstick. One finished, she smacked her lips, tilting the mirror left and right to catch all the angles, then set the small silver object down. "Now what should you wear?" she stroked her chin. Hinata looked down at her undecorated kimono. "Isn't this e-enough?" she asked, confused. Temari laughed. "Not if you're going to catch yourself a man tonight," she said, eyes glinting. Hinata was about to say, 'If I have to dress like a prostitute, I don't ever want to catch a man', when she remembered that she was obligated to. _Crap._

"Ah, o-okay," she acquiesed. Temari beckoned her with one finger, and Hinata obediently walked to her. The older woman looked Hinata up and down, still stroking her chin. "You have a huge chest, we'll want to accentuate that," she murmured thoughtfully, seemingly not noticing Hinata's heavy blush, "and your hips are pretty wide." She paused, then looked Hinata in the eye, grinning. "Lucky for you, I'm as curvy as a mountain range." Hinata giggled lightly, and Temari's grin widened. It was nice to have a girl to talk to.

She walked to her closet, flung open the doors, and began rifling through her dresses. "Too dark...too light...too plain...too long...too short...too flashy..." she muttered, flying through them. And then she stopped. "Aha!" she cried, elated. She pulled it from the hanger and turned to Hinata, holding it up. "What do you think?"

It was beautiful. It was made of silk, a light lavender. A branch of red orchids paraded up the right side, and the hem was stitched with red material. Hinata stared for a moment, then looked back up to Temari, her eyes wide. "I-I can w-wear this?" She whispered, disbelievingly. Temari smiled kindly. "Sure, sweetheart." She then waved her hand dismissively. "Shika got it for me the last time I went to Konoha, but...it's not really my color." She held it out to Hinata. The smaller girl took it, gingerly, as if she were afraid of ruining it. She ran her hands over the material, and felt tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, gratification pouring out of her voice. The older blonde shrugged and went to retrieve the matching red obi. "You can keep it, if you like," she told her nonchalantly, not believing how adorable this girl was. Hinata hugged the kimono to her chest. "Oh, Temari-s-san, thank y-you!" she smiled radiantly.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," Temari called politely. The door opened, revealing a girl a few years younger than Hinata. Her lip was curled, and she looked more than a little traumatised. She had silvery blonde hair, and deep purple eyes. Despite this, she wasn't beautiful - she wasn't ugly, but she wasn't pretty, either. Temari eyed her, curious. "You know you never have to knock, Chise," she addressed the girl, bemused. Chise made a face, shuddering. "I usually don't...but before I came here, I went to go check on our male guests, and didn't knock." Another shudder ran down her spine. "You don't even want to know what they were doing."

Hinata blinked, then spoke up. "Sasuke-san and Naruto-kun?" she wondered. The girl turned to her, frowning. "Is that what they're called? Anyway, the blonde one was sitting on top of the..." she blushed then, obviously remembering Sasuke, "...dark-haired one. It might've just _looked_ like they'd been about to DO IT, but there weren't a lot of other things they could've been doing, really."

Temari just smirked while Hinata blushed. "I always knew the emo kid was gay," Temari said triumphantly, putting her hands on her hips. "But I didn't know Naruto had the hots for guys. Guess you can never tell." She shrugged. Hinata gaped. _Naruto-kun doesn't __act__ like he's interested in Sasuke..._she remembered the way that Naruto so calmly brushed Sakura off in the desert. Come to think of it, both of the boys had rejected their beautiful teammate..._Maybe they really are gay._

Hinata felt crushed. There went all her dreams for her and Naruto...unless she were to become a guy, something she **definitely **did not want to do.

Chise then turned to Hinata again, eyeing the kimono she still held. "If you're not ready yet, you can come down later," she suggested, giving Hinata a small smile. Hinata smiled back. "A-Arigatou...Chise."

The young girl nodded, then bowed out of the room.

Temari yawned quite suddenly. "I'm gonna go down to the ballroom," she told Hinata, fastening a necklace around her neck. Hinata nodded. "I'll m-meet you t-there," she said, waiting for Temari to leave to start changing.

The blonde woman strode out of the room, closing the door on her way out.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Gaara was bored. Bored, bored, bored. Sitting at the head of his unnecissarily long table, he had at least ten women surrounding him (Kankuro as well, trying to flirt with these women), but coming no closer than five feet away. Perhaps they were afraid of him...and also attracted to him?

He did not understand females.

The ballroom was filled with people - foreign dignitaries, royalty, embassadors, and the occasional commoner. Speaking of commoners...his interest peaked a little when the door opened, revealing Sasuke and Naruto. The Kyubi vessel was limping, and the Uchiha looked as indifferent as ever. As soon as they walked in, females flocked Sasuke, giggling and batting their eyelashes, to his annoyance and Naruto's envy. Gaara's lips quirked, but he did not smile.

They were soon followed by his scantily-clad sister (frown), who was quite suddenly surrounded by various drooling males (glare) one of whom looked to be Naruto (...disgust).

But the highlight of Gaara's night so far was when his next guest came in.

She was wearing a pretty lavender kimono that was more modest than most, but alluring in it's own way. Her dark hair was pulled up into a messy bun, with a few strands hanging down. The porcelain skin that was showing was enough to make any man stare at the Hyuga heiress.

Which is what they were doing.

A vast majority of the males not previously occupied with Temari were now openly gaping at the girl, frozen in the middle of whatever they were doing. Somewhat reluctantly, Gaara tore his gaze away from Hinata and watched Naruto's reaction.

Always a bit late, he was just turning around to see what everyone was staring at. When he did finally spy her, he practically tripped over himself in shock, jaw dropping to the floor. His wide blue eyes followed her as she timidly made her way through the crowd, blushing darkly.

Gaara's eyes then sought out Sasuke.

He, as well, was staring, though not so openly as everyone else. In fact, his expression betrayed nothing. He was looking at her with an almost passive look on his face - but many, many different things swirling around in his eyes. Gaara mentally chuckled. Of course...not even the Uchiha could resist a pretty woman.

A pretty woman that was walking towards Gaara right now.

The gathering of girls around him parted like the Red Sea as Hinata made her way towards the Kazekage, staring in awe and jealousy. Behind him, Gaara could hear his brother mutter, "Holy shit..."

Stopping in front of him, Hinata smiled timidly and bowed low, showing her respect. "H-Happy birthday, Kazekage-s-sama," she said softly, gazing at him with her pure white eyes.

Yes, this was the highlight of Gaara's night. So far.

He examined her for a moment, before saying, "Arigatou, Hyuga-san." His voice was deep and smooth, and the women around him began whispering again, giggling in girlish delight.

With one last shy smile in his direction, Hinata walked away to join her still-staring companions.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Kankuro leaned down next to his little brother and whistled. "Damn, Gaara, she's into you!" he said with a measure of approval. Gaara did not answer, but found his eyes glued to her the shape of her legs, swishing under her kimono as she walked away from him. _Perhaps,_ he thought, idly, still staring at her figure, _it won't be so bad to have a female interested in me tonight._

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The mission was going better than Hinata had expected. After swallowing her fear and going up to the Kazekage to wish him a happy birthday, she could still feel his eyes on her, which either meant that he suspected her plan (something that was entirely possible for Gaara) or that he was interested in her.

And by the look on other men's faces, it was the latter.

Hinata found, as she was walking away from Gaara, towards, her companions, that she felt...power. It was _nice_ to be wanted. Not only was Gaara staring, but every other man in the room not currently under Temari's spell.

She felt confident, strong, sure of herself -

"Damn, Hinata, you look HOT!"

- and then it was thrown out the window.

Hinata's face reddened at Naruto's comment, and felt like she might die, right there. She brought her hands up to cover her mouth, mortified. So maybe Naruto wasn't gay...

Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's blatant ogling of the Hyuga heiress and shifted footing. They were standing in a corner of the room, away from their target, so they could discuss the mission. He glanced down at Hinata and found himself staring at the shoulder of her kimono that was ever-so-slowly sliding off her shoulder...

He coughed, averting his eyes. _I'm becoming Naruto_, he thought, mentally cringing at the thought.

Naruto was now chattering away to Hinata, asking her where she got her kimono, and maybe she should wear it more often, especially when he was around, not that he was a pervert, he just thought it looked pretty on her, not that she didn't look pretty all the time, but -

Sasuke broke in. "Hyuga. The Kazekage is staring at you." He said this in a low voice, even though he had already banished the giggling cloud of fangirls aroud him. Hinata did not turn around, but kept staring straight ahead. "D-Does he look...i-interested?" she asked, her face reddening still. Sasuke regarded the stoic redhead across the room for a moment more. _Like Kakashi is interested in porn._

"Hai."

Naruto grinned and gave Hinata a thumbs up. "Nice job, Hinata-chan!" he winked, though o the inside he was crying his little heart out.

Hinata took a shaky breath. "W-What should I d-do next?" she looked up at Sasuke. The Uchiha looked down at her, and in the back of his mind thought how she might look if she was not wearing that kimono.

He looked away from her, irritated. _Damn_. "Ignore him." he said after a pause.

Both Naruto and Hinata simultaneously said in confusion, "What?"

Sasuke sighed impatiently. "Ignore him. Leave him wanting more. _Play hard to get_." He spoke as if talking to a pair of oblivious two-year-olds.

Naruto still looked confused, but a lightbulb appeared over Hinata's head. "O-Oh," she murmured, faintly surprised. Was this still Uchiha Sasuke, telling her how to...seduce...a man?

Abruptly, Sasuke pulled at her arm. "Dance with me," he commanded. If she were a different person, Hinata might have giggled at the Uchiha's forwardness. But since she was Hinata, she blushed, and was at a complete loss for words. And Naruto erupted.

"What the hell?" He practically shouted, his blue eyes almost popping out of their sockets. Sasuke sent him an annoyed glare. "She's pretending not to be interested in Gaara, dobe." He pointed out. Naruto calmed down, but then scratched his head. "Huh?" The dark-haired man sighed. "If she dances with other men, he'll be more interested." He said slowly, trying to make his teammate understand.

Finally, it dawned on Naruto. "Oh! Right! Play hard to get!" He grinned, satisfied at figuring it out. Then his grin dropped like a coconut from a tree. "But why do _you_ get to dance with Hinata?" he whined, his eyebrows drawing together.

"Because Subaku hates me," Sasuke said bluntly. Naruto could not argue with that logic.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Sasuke was not enjoying himself.

Nope.

Not one bit.

He was totally unaffected as he danced, in front of everyone, with Hinata Hyuga. He was absolutely not aware of how close she was to him, or how nice she smelled, or how her snowy eyes glanced up at him from time to time in apprehension.

Absolutely not enjoying himself.

He grit his teeth as Hinata pressed closer to him, uncomfortable with all the stares she was receiving, trying to shelter herself. Unfortunately for him, this was a waltz - and therefore his hand was placed on her waist, and his other hand was holding hers. The already close proximity was irritating him, for some reason unknown to him - not irritation that he felt with fangirls, tinged with disgust...no, this was more of a bothered irritation; a distraction.

He hated distractions.

But just as Sasuke had predicted, Gaara was now staring at them intently. His expression was indecipherable, his eyes unreadable...but the Avenger was perceptive enough to know that Gaara was _jealous_. Even if only a tiny bit. It was enough, and that meant that Hinata was in.

Sasuke leaned down, ignoring how she flinched and spoke very close to her ear, "Listen carefully, Hyuga." He felt Hinata nod ever-so-slightly against his cheek. "He's jealous. Maybe only a little bit, but it's there. You need to make him think that you only want him now. Understand?" he asked, his tone not unchanging. Hinata whispered back, "H-Hai."

Sasuke backed away, and watched their target's reaction. Face still perfectly motionless, but his eyes had narrowed a bit. He was leaning on his palm, and his elbow was resting on the armrest of his chair. He looked...powerful. But Sasuke, who had fought him before, was not intimidated. He stared right back into the icy eyes of the former Jinchuuriki, and a smirk flashed across his face. Arrogant, condescending. Sasuke knew that if Hinata confessed to only liking Gaara tonight, the Kazekage would feel like he had triumphed over the Uchiha. Which was unfortunate, because Sasuke had an immense amount of pride - but it was for the mission. _And besides,_ thought Sasuke, somewhat smugly, _he didn't really prevail over me. Hinata doesn't actually like him._ Then, Sasuke remembered who she **did** like. _Naruto_.

The raven-haired male looked over to the side, and his eyes fell on his friend. He was watching them, just as intensely as Gaara, but he was pouting childishly, and was openly showing his jealousy. Automatically, Sasuke's grip tightened on Hinata, eliciting a whimper from her. Briefly glancing at her, muttering a 'gomen', Sasuke then turned his attention forward, away from both Gaara and Naruto. _Why does that bother me...? No...it doesn't bother me...I don't care. I don't care._

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Naruto fiddled with the transmitter, struggling immensely with this simple device. "I can't do it," he finally whined, his hands dropping to his sides.

Offering him a kind smile, Hinata said quietly, "L-Let me help you w-with that..."

Naruto grinned. "Thanks, Hinata-chan! You're the best!" Smiling again, Hinata reached up and attached the radio transmitter to his ear. Then, absentmindedly, in an un-Hinata-like gesture, she tucked a lock of hair behind the same ear, which made Naruto blush in a _very_-Hinata-like gesture. Hinata reasized what she had done, and snatched her hand away with an even larger blush.

Sasuke coughed. Again.

Naruto twitched. **Again**. "You must have a nasty cold, there, Sasuke," he said nastily, scrunching up his nose. Sasuke sent him a bored look, then muttered, "Iie. You must have a nasty fever, Naruto." He indicated Naruto's red cheeks.

The blonde sputtered in indignation, and the Uchiha inwardly smirked. He got a kick out of getting one over on the dobe...especially now. Why, he didn't know. He was irritated at the little display he had seen just now. _But __why__?_

Hinata broke in. "C-can we ju-just get this o-over with?" she pleaded, looking from one male to the other. Naruto rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, and Sasuke grunted. Hinata smiled weakly.

Sasuke assterted himself as team leader. "Naruto," he said, and the blonde snapped to attention, "you'll be stationed in Kankuro's room." Naruto nodded his understanding.

"I'll be in a nearby building, the hotel next door." Then he turned to Hinata. He scrutinized her, piercing her with his gaze. "Hyuga," - Hinata never ceased to flinch when he said only her last name - "The Kazekage will be in his office. The dobe and I will be in contact with you over the transmitter. We can hear you, and you can hear us, but he won't be able to hear us." He monotoned, then paused. "Got it?" Hinata gulped.

What if she couldn't do it? What if she was caught, what if he suspected her already, what if he found out what she was doing in the midde of it, what if she didn't even _get_ to the middle of it, what if - ?

Naruto's voice broke her out of her thoughts. "Don't worry, Hinata-chan," he said, and she looked up at him. He sent her a grin that nearly stopped her heart. "You'll do great!"

Hinata felt heat rising to her cheeks, and her stomach fluttered.

This.

This.

This was what she loved - his smile, and his laugh, and his encouragement. She loved this boy - any doubts she had had the past few weeks vanished, just like that. She loved him - she'd always love him.

"..."

Sasuke watched Hinata's reaction to the dobe's comment. Her face flushed, her eyes went wide, and her lips parted in a little 'o'. She looked so...in love.

He was surprised by the scowl that crept onto his face. Why did this bother him? He couldn't lie to himself - it **bothered** him, displeased him. _But why?_

His voice sounded icy even to himself. "Dobe." Naruto looked up, appearing elated. "Yeah?" he said happily, still hung up on Hinata's reaction. Sasuke rolled his eyes, sighing. "Disperse." He disappeared in a flash, and Naruto gave Hinata one last look before disappearing himself.

Hinata shook her head, trying to snap herself out of it. _Not the time, Hinata..._ She took a deep breath, steeling herself, then walked down the hallway to meet the Kazekage.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Me:** (sweatdrops) Ehehehe...sorry? I know you all wanted the seduction scene...but I'll post it later, I promise! In the meantime, I made this chapter extra super really really really long. That's good enough, right?

**Gaara, Sasu, Naru:** No.

**Hina: **I l-liked it...and s-so did Sakura-ch-chan!

**Saku**: (...unconcious)

**Gaara:** I grow tired of waiting for you. (points to Hinata) I want her now.

**Hina**: (faints from utter mortification)

**Me**: Fine, fine. It'll be in the next chapter, just hold on! (mutters) Sheesh...

**Naru**: ...I don't care if you're the Kazekage - you're going DOWN!

**Sasu**: (cracks knuckles) For once, I agree.

**Gaara:** (sand flares up) Bring it on.

**Me:** (grabs Naru and Sasu by the collars) Gawd! Can you all **NOT** kill each other for _one_ chapter, please?

**Hina:** (is magically revived) U-Uh! R-review, please...! (tried to hold Gaara back)


	14. Seduction: Hinata

Hinata took a deep breath, her hand on the doorknob. _I can do this, I can do this!_

She opened the door to Gaara's office...and screamed.

There, laying on the couch, was Gaara.

Which wouldn't have been so weird...except that someone was on top of him, straddling him, and passionately kissing him.

Upon hearing her scream, Uchiha Sasuke looked up, seeing her. "Go away," he muttered, glaring, before Gaara yanked him back down by the collar and sent a sand wave to slam the door shut.

Hinata blinked...and then fainted.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Me: **...just kidding. Sorry its taken me a few days to update...I've been working on another story.

**Naru: **(looks around) Hey, where's Sasuke?

**Me:** (shrugs) Locked him in the closet. Why?

**Naru:** (slowly backs away, sweating) U-Uh, no reason...

**Me:** (smiles cheerfully) Good.

**Gaara:** (boredly) Is this finally the chapter where Hinata seduces me?

**Me:** No.

**Gaara:** (sand tsunami appears behind him)

**Me:** I mean...yes. The next three chapters will be in Hinata, Sasuke, and Naruto's pov, in that order...so Hinata will have the spotlight in this one.

**Hina:** E-Enjoy! (smiles shyly)

**Gaara:** (smirks) Oh, I _will_.

**Sasu:** (from closet) THAT'S IT - CHIDORI!

**Naru:** Oh, shit! Quick, start the chapter before he -

_BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!_

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The clock ticking on the wall chimed lightly. Gaara looked up from his paperwork, glancing at the time. 11:00 pm...almost an hour after his party ended.

He recalled it like it was two minutes ago.

At the end, he had had to personally say 'goodbye' to all the foreign dignitaries his Council had invited without his permission (the sneaky bastards). Somewhere in that time, Temari had slipped away with some random stranger (Gaara almost felt bad for Shikamaru) and Kankuro had walked - stumbled - away with more than a few girls' numbers. His three guests from Konoha had also thanked him for the party...well, actually, it was only Hinata that had thanked him, seeing as how the Uchiha woud never thank _anyone_ for _anything_, and Naruto was too preoccupied with the Hyuga's outfit to notice that the party was over.

Overall, it had not been as horrible as Gaara had predicted.

This paperwork, however, was.

Gaara glared at the stack of documents and scrolls in front of him, weighing the pros and cons of throwing it out the window...or, maybe, threatening the Nara with some _very interesting_ pictures into doing it all for him.

Personally, he liked the second one better.

His blackmailing plans were put on hold when he heard a knock on his door.

"Enter," he said, wondering who would call on him at this hour.

He was fairly surprised to see Hinata Hyuga stepping into his office, a small blush on her cheeks. However, it wasn't unpleasant to see her again...still in that kimono. "Hyuga-san," he addressed her in his monotone. She bowed low. "Gomen for b-bothering you, K-Kazekage-sama..." she hesitated, biting her lip. She looked...nervous. He raised a non-existent eyebrow at her. "Is there something you needed?"

She fidgeted, her eyes darting to the floor, and he again registered, "cute". She spoke up in a small voice. "T-There was s-something I needed to t-tell you..." she said shyly, glancing back up at him. He remained silent, waiting for her to continue. Taking a deep breath, she bowed her head, hiding her face from view, shouders shaking. Vaguely concerned, he got up, walking to where she stood, about to ask her what was wrong -

When she looked up at him.

Her eyes were wide and sparkling, so hopeful, yet hesitant at the same time. She was chewing on her bottom lip, and his eyes were drawn to the reddening flesh. It looked plush, and soft...

His attention was back on her eyes as she spoke timidly. "I-I've always ad-admired you, Kazekage-sama..." she said, staring up at him with those shining orbs. He stayed silent, extremely curious. "I-I just wanted..." she hesitated again, seeming unsure of herself. Gaara watched her, thinking that maybe this was the new highlight of his night.

He changed the 'maybe' into a 'definitely' when he felt her lips press against his.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

(Hina POV)

"I-I just wanted..." Hinata stopped talking when she heard a command in her ear.

_"Hyuga. __Kiss him__."_

Hinata gulped, hearing Sasuke's voice over the radio. She briefly closed her eyes, then stood on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth against his. Hinata was extremely nervous. He stayed still, and she began to draw away, thinking despondently that she had failed her mission...

Then his hands were on her elbows, keeping her in place, and he began moving his lips against hers. Her heart leapt in elation.

Newly eager, she took a step closer to him, barely registering that she had just given her first kiss to the Kazekage of Suna. Gaara's hands left her elbows and slid up to cup her slightly pink cheeks. Her own hands were then resting on his chest, and he hummed in appreciation.

She let out a little gasp when he began walking backwards, pulling her with him, sitting down in the chair he had previously been occupying. He drew her into his lap, never breaking their kiss, the kiss that they were _sharing_.

Hinata blushed darkly, straddling him. Her kimono was riding up slightly, she could feel the air on her newly exposed thigh. She closed her eyes, bracing herself. _You can do this_.

She couldn't help but let out a little moan when he nibbled on her bottom lip. When she parted them on instict, he pushed his tongue into her mouth. She leaned into him, pressing her chest against his own, trying to appear like she was enjoying herself - which wasn't that hard.

Gaara, on the other hand, was thoroughly satisfied. His tongue explored the inside of her mouth eagerly, and he smirked when he felt her own tongue shyly pressing against his. Leaving her cheeks, his hands fell on her hips, pulling them closer to his body. He was encouraged by the small, breathy moan that escaped her lips as she leaned further into him...he could feel the shape of her breasts pressed against him, and he groaned.

His lips left hers and he chuckled at the little whimper of protest that came from her. He nuzzled his face against her neck before nibbling lightly, loving the soft skin. The Hyuga heiress let out a little mewl, and rocked her hips against his. He froze momentarily, and she squeaked out a 's-sorry!' Ignoring her apology, he gripped her hips and rolled them against his again. This time, she gasped, and her hands on his shirt tightened into fists. He continued nibbling on her neck, searching until he found her pulse point.

She arched against him, moaning, as he sucked harshly on it. He groaned again as he felt her body pressed fully against his. Another angry voice erupted in her ear. _"Just get the key so you can get out of there!"_ Came Naruto's voice. Hinata winced. Right. Get the key...

Gulping, she let go of his shirt and her arms encircled his waist in sort of a loose hold. She then hugged him tightly, crushing herself against him. She flinched when Gaara murmured her name. She almost felt bad about deceiving him like this...then again, she was a shinobi. She did what she had to do, and this was no different.

Her strategy was this: at this closer proximity, she could feel every contour of his body...and, hopefully, the key. She began rocking her hips against him in a steady rhythm (all the while thinking of how many times her father would kill her if he ever found out what she was doing right now), and he responded by hissing and then biting down on her neck, to which she gasped. She didn't think about what she was doing anymore, she just **did**.

She drew in a breath when she felt a tiny poke on her inner thigh, which was wrapped around his hip. _The key_.

She now faced a dilemma - how to get it, without him noticing.

Releasing him from the tight hug, she leaned back slightly and looked him in the eye. Hinata was suddenly struck by how beautiful he was. Perfect, pale skin, fine features, and those eyes...they were icy, teal blue, hypnotizing in their stare. He spoke then. "You danced with the Uchiha." He was close enough so that she felt his breath on her lips - she shivered. "H-He asked me...I d-didn't know h-how to refuse..." she looked at him hopefully. "I-I wanted you, Kazekage-sama," she told him shyly, but sincerely. Gaara examined her face for a moment. "Call me Gaara, Hyuga-san." She blushed, leaning in until her lips were at his ear. "T-Then will you call m-me Hinata?"

To her surprise, a tiny, tiny smile appeared on his face. "I will...Hinata."

She stared, in awe of his small display of happiness. She did not think she'd _ever_ seen the Kazekage smile, except with Naruto. "A-Arigatou..." she whispered, somewhat in a daze. Another voice in her ear. _"Focus."_ This was Sasuke, she could tell by the deepness and utter lack of emotion in the voice. Mentally blushing, she pressed her lips to Gaara's jaw, and felt the Kage bury his face in her hair. Her small hands dropped to the hem of his shirt, and she pushed them up his abdomen, taking the shirt with them. He murmured his encouragement, and she ran her tongue across his jawline.

She could still feel the tiny, metal object against her inner thigh. Hinata slid the black shirt further up his chest, palms skimming his muscles. He rained kisses down her neck, then bit down.

She froze when she felt a little electrical shock.

Gaara drew back a bit and looked at her. "Did I bite too hard?" he asked in his deep, toneless voice. Hinata shook her head quickly. "N-No...it just s-surprised me," she said shyly. He laid another light kiss to her neck. "Gomen," he muttered, and Hinata was reminded of Sasuke. Speaking of Sasuke...she paused, listening, but all she could hear was Gaara's almost inaudible breathing, as well as her own, and her worries were confirmed.

He'd bitten the transmitter wire in half.

She cringed. Apparently she hadn't hidden it well enough, or it had slipped from behind her ear. This wasn't good - this wasn't good at all. Naruto and Sasuke would have no idea if she was compromised...and there was nothing they could do about it, without raising suspicion. Hinata took a deep breath, calming herself. Get the key, get out. She could do it without her teammates.

She focused on pushing the Kazekage robes off his shoulders. He let them fall to the floor, then assisted her in pulling his plain shirt over his head. His lips connected with hers again, and then his large hands found her own delicate shoulder and slid the kimono down, exposing even more of her neck and chest. She blushed brightly, shivering at the cool air. Gaara fixed that by leaning down and moving his hot mouth against the skin just below her collarbone.

She ignored the knot in her stomach and her dizzy head and tugged at the hem of his pants, trying to feel out the exact location of the key. He hummed against her neck, and she lost her train of thought for a moment. _The key!_ A little voice shouted at her. _Oh, right, right!_ She pursed her lips and moved her hands around his hips, until she felt the small object under her left palm. She closed her eyes and dipped her hands under the hemline of his pants -

Hinata practically exploded when something thumped against the window.

Gaara raised his head and looked over at the window to their right. There was silence for a moment, and then - _Thwack!_ Another furry, flying object slammed against the windowpane before dropping out of sight. Hinata sweatdropped, gawking. _Was that a...squirrel?_

Gaara glanced at her, then eased her off his lap and stood to check it out.

Hinata stood, feeling extremely awkward, with Temari's kimono barely clinging to her form, and watching (shirtless) Gaara open the window, leaning out to see what was going on.

There was a crash, the sound of a cat screeching, and then a bang. Someone shouted a curse word, and then a door slammed.

Hinata timidly walked over to stand with Gaara at the window. "W-What was it?" she asked softly, looking up at him. Gaara folded his arms over his (muscled) chest. "Wakarimasen **(1)**," he murmured, turning towards her. She smiled nervously up at him, and he again leaned down to cup her cheeks, kissing her softly.

Suddenly, it dawned on Hinata that they were going to continue...**all the way through**. She started panicking. _Ohmygodohmygodohmygod I can't do this I can't do this I can't do this!_ She was about to scream when Gaara pulled her close to him, gently holding her against his tall form. She started to feel a warm glow in her core. _Maybe it won't be so bad..._

Inner Hinata slapped her. _**"The hell? Of course it will, you baka! You're going to have **__**sex**__** with the **__**Kazekage**__**!"**_ Immediately, Hinata began panicking again. She squeezed her eyes shut tight and prayed fervently. _Please Kami, if you're out there, save me from sleeping with Gaara!_ **(2)**

The door opened.

Gaara pulled away, annoyed, and Hinata inwardly wept with relief. _It's a MIRACLE!_

The servant girl from earlier was standing at the door, shock and disgust written all over her face. "Holy shit..." Chise muttered under her breath. First she walks in on the blonde guy from Konoha and his really really hot friend about to shag in Kankurou's room, and now she walks in on _Gaara no Subaku_ about to DO IT with the other ninja from Konoha, the seemingly gentle and modest Hinata.

How fucking wonderful...now she needed counseling.

Gaara stood in the middle of the room, looking utterly unaffected, and Hinata turned red in mortification. Chise grit her teeth. "I was told to give this to you..." she ground out, trying not to think of how much money trauma therapy would cost her. She held out a piece of paper. Gaara walked over and took it, and Chise shrank back, attempting not to ogle his physique.

Gaara read for a moment, then looked up at the blonde girl. He asked, in his monotone, "Who gave this to you?"

Hinata was elated. _Wishes do come true!_ She felt like doing a little happy dance, so overjoyed that she almost didn't hear Chise's reply. Kami had saved her!

"The pale boy with black hair, from Konoha."

...Kami, or Sasuke Uchiha.

Hinata blinked, surprised. Had Sasuke **planned** this? Down to the minute? Had he been somehow watching, or listening, even without the radio transmitter?

Maybe Kami and Sasuke Uchiha were the same thing...

While Hinata was contemplating the divinity of her teammate, Gaara was thinking of the same person - in an entirely different context. He reread the note, written in elegant, masculine handwriting.

_Kazekage-sama:_

_My team has been ordered to depart immediately. However, our medic is in the hospital. Two of us will leave for Konoha, and one will stay behind to oversee her care._

The note was short, to the point, and hardly respectful, but Gaara would have written it exactly the same way if Sasuke were Kazekage - leaving out the _sama_, of course (he didn't like him **that** much). He pondered this for a moment, then glanced down at Hinata, standing next to him with a tiny frown upon her pretty face. It wuld be best if Naruto and the Uchiha left, and Hinata stayed behind...then they could finish what they started, without any interruptions, like parties, notes from uppity Uchihas, or someone throwing squirrels at his window...

Gaara turned to the servant girl. "Thank you," he droned, and she nodded, then dashed out of the room with a horrified look on her face. He turned to Hinata, who flinched at his movement, then looked up at him. He cocked his head to one side. "Gomen, Hinata-chan..." he murmured, and she shook her head. "Maa ii d-deshou **(3)**," she said back, blushing lightly. "I'll l-leave now...arigatou," she whispered, stepping towards the door. He watched her go -

With a tiny smile on his face.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**(1)** = I'm not sure.

**(2)** = Jeez,Hinata...why wouldn't you want to sleep with Gaara?

**(3)** = It's okay.

**Me:** Wow, that was...crappy.

**Shika**: Indeed. (starts speaking in British accent) The tone was all wrong, and your sentence fluency was simply _dreadful_. In fact, if I hadn't watched you write it, I would say that Naruto had!

**Naru**: (nods) Yea - Hey, wait a minute!

**Me**: ...why are you speaking with a British accent?

**Shika**: (voice back to normal, lazy drawl) Was a bet. (holds out hand, Kiba hands him money)

**Kiba**: I can't believe ya actually did it. (snickers) ...you nerd.

**Shika**: Says the guy with 1,000 yen less than he had thrity seconds ago.

**Hina**: Thank you, S-Sasuke! (glomps Sasu)

**Sasu**: Guh...(dies of nosebleed)

**Me**: Review -

**Gaara**: (gives everyone the evil eye) Or else.


	15. Seduction: Sasuke

**Me**: Hiya! So I bet you all have a lot of questions, huh? Like, will Hinata stay behind in Suna? Will Naruto confess? Will Gaara and Hinata ever _get it on_? When will Sakura wake up? What will happen when she _does_ wake up? Where is heck is the key? What was the squirrel thing about? What -

**Shika**: Kami, woman. You make my head hurt.

**Me**: (sticks tongue out) Maybe your head hurts because your brain is so big! (smiles triumphantly)

**Shika**: ...was that supposed to insult me?

**Sasu**: You're awful at that, you know.

**Me**: I'm tired of you guys always putting me down! Ya know what? I'm replacing you!

**Sasu**: You can't replace us.

**Shika**: We're your main source of cyncial, sarcastic humor.

**Me**: Can so! Just WATCH! I'll do it next chapter, I swear I will!

**Shika**: (eye roll) Yeah, yeah...enjoy the chapter.

**Oh, by the way - I'm gonna do a Song of the Day, Naruto-themed, from now on. Just sounds like a fun idea, no?**

**Song of the Day (Sasuhina): Float On - Modest Mouse**

**Try it out! Unless it's too much trouble. (eye roll)**

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Sasuke was clever.

It was just a fact of life - the sky was blue, karma was a bitch, and Sasuke was clever.

He didn't brag about it all the time, like _some_ people. No, he preferred to show his opponents how clever he was, by beating their sorry asses into the ground.

If Naruto was the spirit of the team, and Sakura was the healer, then Sasuke was the strategist, having none of the extra baggage that his teammates carried around, (like emotions, for instance). He could think clearly, and none of his non-existent feelings got in the way of him completing missions. Hadn't always been that way, though - instead of love and loyalty, anger and hatred had ruled Sasuke's actions, and he had been just as hardheaded and impulsive as Naruto. Now, however, after seeing the horrors of the world, he was somewhat...removed. He resided in a place that no one but his best friend could ever seem to reach, and even Naruto had only glimpsed the inner workings of Sasuke's mind.

But now he was older, more mature, and he was almost as good a strategist as Shikamaru Nara. Naruto and Sakura were also older, and they had learned to put aside - for the most part - their own convictions and emotions for the good of the mission. Despite the obvious, tangible tension, they worked well together, running like a well-oiled machine.

Then Hinata Hyuga had been added to the equation, and everything had been smashed to pieces.

Naruto, passionate and opinionated, probably had the most trouble pushing his feelings away. And now, with _her_, they had come back full force, controlling what he said and did, which, with the blonde, was never a good thing.

Sakura, emotional and temperamental, was also stubborn and impetuous, but better at controlling her actions. No one knew when, and no one knew why - but Sakura was now delusional, and she hadn't been before Hinata was thrust into their group.

And Sasuke?

...he didn't want to talk about it.

Hinata Hyuga was on his mind, a bit more than he was comfortable with. Whenever she was around, Sasuke felt like that angry, impulisve kid again - and he hated it. Emotionless was the only way for him, and it probably always would be. With Hinata, he was not so emotionless as he thought he should be, and it made him irritated, edgy, and distracted. Distractions were meant to be eliminated, but he couldn't just walk down the hall, knock on the door, and murder the Hyuga.

Actually...he could do it. It would be no problem to kill her quickly and silently, leaving no evidence, and no one could pin it on him; he was a master of stealth, and Orochimaru had taught him how to plant false evidence.

Could he do it? Was he that cold-blooded?

Sasuke pressed his forehead against the wall, closing his eyes momentarily. A month ago he could have killed the girl without a second thought, but now the thought of her dead by his hands, dead at _all_, displeased him. Opening his eyes again, he looked over the small hotel room. It was not all that nice; but he didn't need nice, he needed privacy, which this room could offer him. He paused for a moment, to listen to the steady hum of Hinata and Naruto's breathing, then walked over to the couch and plopped down. If the last Uchiha could ever 'plop'.

He heard someone knock on a door, and reasoned that either Naruto had a visitor, or Hinata was at the door to Gaara's office. "_Enter_," he heard faintly over the radio, and the voice definitely had that dead quality that only someone like Sasuke, or Subaku, could pull off. Sasuke listened intently, waiting for someone to speak.

"_Hyuga-san."_

_"Gomen for b-bothering you, K-Kazekage-sama..."_ That was definitely Hinata.

A pause.

_"Was there something you needed?"_

_"T-There was s-something I needed to t-tell you..."_

Sasuke heard Hinata take a shaky breath, and then there were footsteps.

_"I-I've always ad-admired you, Kazekage-sama...I-I just wanted..."_

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Hyuga. Kiss him," he told her, irritated.

Then there was...silence. The Uchiha smirked. _Good girl_, he thought idly, leaning back further. He heard Hinata gasp, then more footsteps, then the slight ruffle of clothing. His eyebrows furrowed. What were they doing?

Hinata moaned breathily.

Sasuke sat up, eyes widening a fraction of an inch. Either she was a really damn good actress, or she was enjoying this. Their kissing was now audible, and the black-haired man thought distastefully that he was going to have to listen to what was basically classified as porn - starring Hinata and Gaara. Ew.

There was another moan from Hinata, and then a deep, throaty groan from the former Jinchuuriki. The girl whimpered, and he chuckled, making Sasuke's lip curl. Hinata continued making provocative little sounds, and then abruptly said, "_S-Sorry!"_ There was a moment of silence, then she gasped.

Sasuke's eye twitched. This was _excrutiating_. Not only was he listening to the man who had tried to murder him when they were kids get some, but it was with _Hinata_, which made it a hell of a lot worse for reasons he didn't really understand. Just as the pair were moaning again, a voice burst forth from the radio. _"Just get the key so you can get out of there!"_

The Sharingan user smirked a bit. So Naruto was frustrated, eh? Well, that made it a little more bearable.

_"Hinata..."_ someone murmured. That was Gaara. He sounded...aroused. Sasuke leaned back once again, his black eyes narrowing. Jesus, was the Hyuga some kind of amazing seductress that no one knew about? No one but Gaara, apparently...he grit his teeth, and thought about just how much he hated that boy right now.

Gaara hissed, then did something to make Hinata gasp.

Silence filled Sasuke's ear.

He frowned. Damn, he had no way of knowing what was happening if no one was talking - a major flaw in his plan. Maybe he wasn't so clever after all..._It's that girl; distracting me all the time. I should just get rid of her..._ Once again, the thought made him tense, and he closed his eyes. _Fuck_.

_"You danced with the Uchiha."_

Sasuke opened his eyes again.

_"H-He asked me...I d-didn't know h-how to refuse..."_

He glared at the wall.

_"I-I wanted you, Kazekage-sama..."_

My god, did she have to rub it in? Did she know what Sasuke was thinking?

_"Call me Gaara, Hyuga-san."_

At this, Sasuke was mildly surprised. Who got away with calling him Gaara, besides his immediate family, and Naruto?

_"T-Then will you call m-me Hinata?"_ He had to admire the Hyuga's audacity, annoyed though he was.

_"I will...Hinata."_ Well, Subaku was full of surprises tonight. He heard Hinata's intake of breath. _"A-Arigatou..."_ she said, sounding like she was in a trance. Sasuke tried not to sound like he was ready to punch something. "Focus." he said over the transmitter, pleased with the emotionlessness of his voice.

There was the rustle of clothing, and then -

Nothing.

He tapped his radio, but all that came through was the soft hum of static.

_"Teme? What happened?"_

Sasuke crossed his legs, ignoring Naruto's panicked tone. "We lost her signal," he deadpanned. Naruto made a sound of discontent. _"What do we do?"_

The Avenger looked toward the window with the curtains drawn. "Nothing."

_"Whadda ya mean, nothing? Hinata could be compromised!"_

Irritation seeped into Sasuke's tone. "We can't do anything, dobe. Not without alerting Subaku to the fact that this is a mission."

_"Screw you, Sasuke! If Hinata's in trouble, I'm gonna save her!"_

"Don't be an idiot. You can't do anything."

_"Oh yeah? Just watch, teme!"_

Oh shit. Naruto was serious. "Dobe - "

Just then, Sasuke heard Naruto panting, and heavy footsteps. There was the sounds of a door swinging open, and then the sound of crickets. The fool was outside.

Sasuke stood up, and walked to the window, pulling the curtains open with one hand.

Sure enough, Naruto was down there, right below the Kazekage office. The Uchiha cursed. "Naruto, if you - "

The blonde threw something against the window, and it rebounded. He paused, then threw something else, something small and furry.

Both of them froze when the window opened. Naruto stood there for .5 of a second, before taking off down the street.

Gaara leaned out, his icy eyes scanning the ground below. Sasuke could hear Naruto's labored breathing, then he barreled into something - a trash can? A cat screeched, and then a sound like a gun went off. Naruto shouted a swear word, then there was a 'poof'ing sound, indicating that the ramen lover had transported himself somewhere else.

A door slammed.

Sasuke twitched. "You idiot," he hissed into the radio. He heard Naruto still panting softly. _"Damn, I thought he'd see me for sure!"_ He paused, then gasped. _"Sasuke...look out the window."_

Sasuke, with a sigh of annoyance, did so.

The window was still open, showing off a half-dressed Gaara - and Hinata. Both boys stared at their scantily clad teammate, whose kimono was just barely hanging off her body, whose cheeks were flushed, whose pretty opal eyes were glazed over with desire...

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. _Damn, she looks...fuckable._

_"Damn, she looks...fuckable."_

Sasuke flinched. What the hell? "Naruto, you're thinking out loud again," he murmured. He heard a crash, then, _"Shit!"_ Naruto swore. _"You...heard that?"_

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Be glad the Hyuga didn't." Well, Hinata obviously still needed help, despite Naruto's efforts...he began searching for a pen and paper.

Naruto chuckled uneasily. _"Ehehe...yeah - you wouldn't...you know..."_

Sasuke waited patiently for Naruto to finish, finding a ball-point pen and a piece of parchment on the coffee table.

_"...tell her, that I said that...would you?" _His tone was nervously hopeful.

The Uchiha sighed tiredly, and scribbled his note down on the paper. "No. That would serve me no purpose." Naruto chuckled again, thankfully this time. _"Thanks, man! You're the best!"_

There was a knock at Sasuke's door, and he looked up. "Uh, hello?" A young, girlish voice said, almost sounding apprehensive. "Temari-sama told me to check up on you. Is there...anything you need?" Sasuke swore he could hear the girl swallow. He stood, crossed the room, and opened the door, not at all surprised to see the servant girl from earlier. He held out his note, and the girl stared up at him, her violet eyes wide. "I need you to take this to the Kazekage," he said, his voice toneless. When the girl made no move to take it, he raised an eyebrow. "Can you do that?" he asked, and she blushed slightly, taking the note. She bowed, embarrassed, and rushed away. He watched her go, then closed his door with a small 'click'.

Naruto's voice came over the radio. "_What was that all about?" _He asked, sounding confused. Sasuke replied with a hint of disdain. "Helping Hinata...hopefully more effectively than you." Naruto huffed indignantly. _"Hey! I helped...sorta..."_

There was a pause. _"I really like her, Sasuke."_ His voice was serious now, deeper; and it struck Sasuke that they weren't kids - they weren't fooling around anymore, going on C-rank missions, trying to outdo each other in any way they could...it wasn't just Naruto and Sasuke, or even all of Team 7. There were more players in their games, and the games weren't so inconsequential.

They weren't kids. They weren't messing around.

Sasuke was quiet for a moment. "I know," he said finally. Naruto was also quiet, for a long time. _"I wanna be with her."_ He said, his voice determined. Sasuke frowned. He had the sudden urge to drink. A lot. "Then ask her out, baka."

Naruto's voice turned uncertain, unsure, and for a moment he had his best friend convinced that they were normal teenagers, with normal problems... _"What if she says no? What if she likes someone else? I mean, I rejected her, after she confessed..."_

"You really are oblivious." Sasuke snorted, pulling a chair up to sit by the window.

_"Huh?"_

Sasuke paused, opened his mouth, and was about to tell Naruto that Hinata loved him still, that she probably always would, that he should go for her now, before someone else did...

But he didn't. He didn't say any of that.

He glanced out the window, and his gaze fell on Hinata, still in plain sight.

He stared.

"What about Sakura?" Sasuke said, very slowly, before he even realized he was saying the words. His eyes were still fixed on Hinata.

_"I...I don't know, Sasuke. When we were in the desert...and she said those things...was it because she...?" _He trailed off.

Sasuke didn't speak, but tore his eyes away from the Hyuga heiress, instead focusing on the floor.

_"What if she does love me? What do I do? I love her...and I love Hinata..." _Sasuke's hand clenched into a fist at these words. _"I think I'll always love Sakura. But...I love Hinata more. Sakura was my first love, ya know? But with Hinata, you feel - "_

Sasuke answered for Naruto in his head. _Better. Like you're worth something._ Then he came back to his senses. Mentally 'tch'ing at these stupid thoughts, he rubbed his temples. Really, he needed a drink.

_"...well, I guess I can't explain it." _A chuckle. _"You haven't ever loved someone...not like that, right?"_

There was no hesitance. "No." And that was the truth. He didn't love anyone like that. Not Naruto (despite some people's beliefs), not Sakura, and not _Hinata_.

A small voice spoke up in his head. **Oh really? Are you sure about that?**

Sasuke scowled, annoyed at his Inner Voice that sounded suspiciously like Itachi. _Yes - I don't love. Anyone._

The voice took on an amused air. **Maybe so. But you certainly don't want the girl with anyone else, do you?**

_It's no concern of mine who she's with._

**Don't lie to yourself. Even the thought of her with Gaara bothers you, doesn't it?**

That gave Sasuke pause. _Whatever I feel for that mouse, it is __not__ love._

**Perhaps it isn't. But you care for her, you can't deny that. If you don't want her, but you don't want her with anyone else, what do you want?**

He growled, out loud. Where the _hell_ did this voice come from?

_"Oi, Sasuke! Helloooo? Are you even listening to me?"_

Sasuke closed his eyes, blocking out the blonde's chattering. He didn't know what he wanted, truthfully. He'd thought he wanted revenge - but he'd killed his brother, only to learn that the Konoha elders were responsible for his clan's massacre. Then he'd thought he'd wanted to kill them, too - kill everyone who'd ever been affiliated with Konoha, even his best friend.

What did he want now?

Immediately, a pair of eyes flashed through his mind. That in itself wasn't surprising; when he was a kid, he'd had nightmares about Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan, staring him down...then, as he grew older, the eyes had changed. They were his own now, terrifyingly dangerous, frighteningly powerful. What was so surprising this time was the fact that the eyes did not contain the Sharingan, in any variation. They contained a different, equally powerful bloodline. Not dead, like Itachi's eyes, or even cold, like Sasuke's. Warm, happy, forgiving.

The eyes of a Hyuga.

_"Hey, teme...do you think anyone else likes Hinata?"_ Naruto's voice broke Sasuke out of his thoughts. He didn't answer for a moment. Did he like Hinata, if he didn't love her? He couldn't get her out of his head, he knew that. And he knew that he didn't want her with Naruto, or any other person.

He paused, for a while.

"Maybe."

They weren't kids anymore. They weren't messing around.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Me**: Cool! I finished, finally!

**Sasu**: (glares) Fuck you.

Me: (surprised) Uh? Why?

**Sasu**: I don't have _feelings_. I'm completely OOC, you idiot.

**Me**: (shakes head) Nuh-uh. My story, my rules! And I say you're whipped.

**Sasu**: (activates Sharingan) I'll kill you. You know I'll do it, too.

**Me**: (gulps) Okay, f-fine! What do you want?

**Sasu**: I want Hinata. In the next chapter. Or _else_.

**Me**: Alright, alright. (grumbles) You'll get some time alone with her in the next chapter...

**Sasu**: Good. (deactivates Sharingan)

**Me**: And then everyone's favorite baka will get some alone time with Sakura.

**Saku**: (unconcious)

**Hina**: R-Review!

**Naru**: DAMN YOU, UCHIHHHAAAAAA!


	16. Seduction: Naruto

**Me**: Sorry I haven't updated in a while...my account wouldn't let me. So to make it up to you, I'm posting two chapters.

**Sasu**: (under breath) Crappy chapters...

**Naru**: Hey! I thought they were pretty damn good!

**Sasu**: That's because Monster-chan let you help write them.

**Naru**: (crossed his arms) That has nothing whatsoever to do with why I like the chapters! ...although, I must say, this is some of my best work.

**Gaara**: Considering your previous works all consisted of you and Sakura in a poorly-written lemon, I have to agree.

**Naru**: Screw you.

**Gaara**: I'd rather not.

**Naru**: I will CUT YOU UP.

**Me**: Boys, boys, you _both_ have extensive hentai fanbases! Let's just get on with the story, can we?

**Sasu**: (under breath) Still crappy...

**Me**: Sasuke, go to your closet. I've replaced you and Shikamaru - with Shino!

**Sasu, Shika**: (shocked)

**Shika**: You actually...did it.

**Me**: (grins) I said I would, didn't I? Now enjoy the chapter, or else!

**Song of the Day (Naruto, to Haku): As Girls Go - Suzanne Vega. Trust me, this totally fits Haku!**

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Naruto was determined.

It was just a fact of life - the grass was green, if you went out in public dressed like Lee, people _would_ make fun of you, and Naruto was determined.

Once he had a goal, he didn't give it up easily. When he was a kid, he'd had only a few major goals - beat Sasuke-teme, make Sakura fall in love with him, and, most importantly, become Hokage. Later, when Sasuke had left for Orochimaru, Naruto's goals had been altered slightly, but had not essentially changed. They were: make Sakura realize she loved him, become Hokage, and bring Sasuke-teme back. Naturally, retrieving his best friend from a life of revenge and hatred had taken precedence over becoming the leader of his village and winning the pretty girl.

But, lately, Naruto was having a hard time keeping his goals in order.

He knew what he wanted from Sasuke - he wanted to keep him in Konoha, because he was his brother. He knew what he wanted from his village - he wanted the people to respect him, and he wanted to prove to them that he could be the strongest ninja in Konoha. He even knew what he wanted from Sakura now - he wanted friendship, he wanted support, but not necessarily love...not anymore.

But he did _not_ know what he wanted from Hinata Hyuga.

Companionship?

A boyfriend-girlfriend relationship?

Marriage?

Did he simply want love?

Naruto was determined, that was for sure. But in order for him to succeed, he had to have goals - he'd learned that about himself long ago. When Jiraiya had died, his goals had suddenly seemed unimportant, and even shallow. He'd felt lost, and alone...he was grateful to Shikamaru for giving him something to believe in again.

Naruto needed goals. He needed something to work for, to strive for. How could he, when he hadn't gotten his goals straight? How could he _do_ anything when he didn't _know_ anything?

Hinata was messing with his brain, and she had no idea she was doing it, either.

To be truthful, when Granny Tsunade had first told them of their mission, and of the roles they each would play, he was a little relieved that it would not be Sakura seducing the Kazekage - and he felt sorry for Hinata; sweet, innocent Hinata. And then Tsunade had gone and filled his head with images of 'sweet, innocent Hinata' - naughty, _perverted_ images. It had been lust, at first. He wanted to see if Hinata was truly as _well-endowed_ as the Hokage had described her to be...because it was true; Sakura was a bit lacking in the sex-appeal department.

Naruto found that the more time he spent with her, the more he actually got to know Hinata, and the more she surprised him. He still wanted her, sure...but now he didn't just want sex. He wanted something else as well, he could recognize that. He just didn't know what that something else was. All he knew was that every time she smiled at him, or blushed in his prescence, he felt a little stronger. He had more confidence in himself, and it was because of her.

Back there, in the desert, had to have been when he finally identified the feeling.

_Love._

He loved her. He loved Hinata Hyuga, and he was surprised to find that he felt it was natural - like he should have been in love with her all along. But he hadn't been. It was always Sakura, and his _determination_ had made sure that all he could see was Sakura, and Sakura's potential love for him. And then Sakura had finally driven the point home - she'd basically confessed, and he'd felt...nothing. Nothing other than a faint, uncomfortable fluttering in his stomach.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when he ran smack into a door.

"Ouch!" He muttered, rubbing his forehead. As he glared at the offending door, he realized that it was the door to Kankurou's room. How convenient.

Glancing over his shoulder to make sure he was alone in the hallway, he slowly pushed the door open and quietly slipped inside.

The room was dark, but Naruto had a general idea of what it looked like from earlier that night. He vaguely remembered that there was a light switch on the wall, and felt around for it blindly. His fingers grasped a knob-like fixture jutting from the wall, and he flicked it upwards.

Immediately, the room flooded with light.

He almost shrieked when he saw Kankurou sprawled on the floor, not moving.

A second after that, though, Kankurou winced, and brought his arm up to rub at his eyes. "What the hell?" He muttered, grimacing. He paused, squinting, then said, "Naruto?"

The blonde chuckled uneasily, feeling a tic develop on his right temple. Did Sasuke _purposefully_ make this his station, so that he would get caught by Gaara's older brother? "Hey, Kankurou..." he said, scratching the back of his head, still smiling nervously. "Can I crash here for the night? Sasuke kind of kicked me out of our hotel room..." He crossed the fingers of his other hand behind his back, hoping Kankurou would buy it.

Evidently too wasted to notice, or to care, Kankurou grunted. "Do whatever you want, baka. Just let me get some damn _sleep_." With that, he rolled over, apparently also not caring that he was still on the floor, only a few feet from the bed. A few more seconds, and his breathing had evened out. He was motionless again.

Naruto unpeeled himself from the wall and tiptoed around, looking for a private place to sit and listen.

He was about to give up and take refuge in the bathroom when he spied Kankurou's closet. _Perfect!_ He cheered in his head, and opened the doors, stepping inside the small enclosed space and crouching down, just in time to hear a knock at the door over the transmitter. Must be Hinata, at the Kazekage's office.

_"Enter." _Jesus, Gaara even sounded like a Kazekage. Naruto pouted.

Gaara spoke again. _"Hyuga-san."_

_"Gomen for b-bothering you, K-Kazekage-sama..."_ Oh, Hinata sounded so cute!

There was silence for a moment, and Naruto was tempted to say something, but Gaara did it for him.

_"Was there something you needed?"_

Hinata's voice came in again, shy. _"T-There was s-something I needed to t-tell you..." _She drew in a breath, and again Naruto was going to say something to her, something encouraging, but he heard footsteps and wisely kept his mouth shut.

_"I-I've always ad-admired you, Kazekage-sama...I-I just wanted..."_

For her part, Naruto thought that Hinata was doing great. For such an introverted, quiet girl, she was adjusting pretty well to the role she was supposed to play.

Sasuke's toneless, deep voice cut in. _"Hyuga. __Kiss him__."_

Naruto frowned, shifting a bit, almost causing a shoebox to fall on him. Did Sasuke need to rush this? He himself wanted to postpone Hinata's _predicament_ as long as possible.

He heard nothing, nothing at all. Naruto frowned deeper. Was she kissing Gaara at this moment? There was no ther reason for silence...he suddenly realized that he was going to be here a long, long time - and so was Hinata. Naruto had the sudden urge to come out of the closet.

Wait...that didn't sound right. He rephrased that.

Naruto had the sudden urge to **come out of Kankurou's closet, run to Gaara's office, and stop him before he defiled Hinata**. There - that sounded better.

At that moment, Hinata decided to moan.

Naruto choked a little on his own spit. _Holy...shit._ That had to be the most provocative sound he had yet to hear in his life. Well, maybe it wasn't...but it sure seemed like that.

Hinata moaned again, this time followed by a definitely male groan. Either Sasuke was in pain (or pleasure), or that was Gaara. Naruto thought that the second option sounded more likely, first of all because Naruto had a sneaking suspicion that Sasuke was gay, and secondly because right now, Gaara was making out with Hinata.

_Damn that Kazekage! __I'm__ supposed to be making out with Hinata!_

Hinata whimpered (way too sexily), and Gaara chuckled (evilly, in Naruto's opinion). The Hyuga heiress made a series of adorable little moans, and then abruptly apologized. There was a moment of silence, then she gasped. Naruto felt his patience wearing thin. My god, he wished he was in Gaara's shoes right now. Shit - he nearly died just thinking about it.

Hinata and Gaara moaned again, and Naruto's last nerve snapped.

"Just get the key so you can get out of there!" He practically shouted, then, remembering that he was in a closet, with Kankurou right outside, shut his mouth.

A second later, Gaara murmured Hinata's name, and Naruto wondered just how good Hinata had to be if she could melt the infamous Kazekage. Was it hot in here? He tugged at his collar, uncomfortable. He always knew that Hinata would be a fox in bed - Pervy Sage had told him that the quiet ones were always the best (more unwanted-but-secretly-wanted advice from the Sannin). But damn, if it wasn't painful to know it was true - and not be there for it.

Someone hissed, and someone gasped.

Then...nothing.

Naruto huffed silently in frustration. How was he to know what they were doing now? Maybe Hinata was smiling at Gaara, shyly but seductively, her cheeks tinged pink, and innocently slipping her pretty kimono off her shoulders...

Uh-oh.

He squeezed his eyes shut tight, trying to think of the most un-arousing things possible. _Poor children, begging on the street...Lee in a bikini...cute, tiny bunnies being slaughtered...Hinata saving the bunnies from being slaughtered...Hinata, wearing bunny ears...and nothing else..._

"Fuck!" Naruto mouthed, his hands clenching into fists. Even helpless, dying bunnies made him think of Hinata. He angrily kicked the closet door.

Once again, someone interrupted Naruto's dirty thoughts.

_"You danced with the Uchiha."_

Oh-ho! Intrigue! Naruto's forehead unknotted, and he listened with interest.

_"H-He asked me...I d-didn't know h-how to refuse...I-I wanted you, Kazekage-sama..."_

Naruto secretly grinned. Take that, Sasuke! Not all the girls want you!

_"Call me Gaara, Hyuga-san."_

_"T-Then will you call m-me Hinata?"_

_"I will...Hinata."_

Eugh...it sounded more like a romance novel now. With Hinata as the sweet, virginal heroine, and Gaara, as the dashing, dangerous male lead.

...he had to stop listening to Kakashi.

Hinata drew in a breath again, and thanked him in a breathy voice...God knew why.

_"Focus."_ That was unmistakeably Sasuke - not even Gaara could be in the prescence of a half-dressed girl and manage to sound like he was a stone-cold rock.

Something rustled, and then there was absolute silence. Naruto thought maybe they were kissing again...except for the fact that there was a low buzz now. _Did I accidentally turn it off or something?_

He ventured to speak. "Teme? What happened?"

Sasuke's voice came through. _"We lost her signal."_ So it wasn't Naruto's fault.

Naruto huffed in discontent. "What do we do?"

There was a slight pause. _"Nothing."_

Naruto was flabbergasted. "Whadda ya mean, nothing? Hinata could be compromised!"

Sasuke's voice was slightly slower, so Naruto knew he was annoyed. _"We can't do anything, dobe. Not without alerting Subaku to the fact that this is a mission."_

"Screw you, Sasuke! If Hinata's in trouble, I'm gonna save her!" As soon as he'd said the words, he became even more sure of his plan of action. If he saved her, she'd be totally grateful - and she'd love him forever!

_"Don't be an idiot. You can't do anything."_ Naruto stood up in the closet, angered by Sasuke's apparent lack of concern (and faith).

"Oh yeah? Just watch, teme!" He flung open the doors of the closet.

_"Dobe - "_

Naruto sprinted across the room, almost tripping over Kankurou, and flew down the stairs, arriving on the first floor. He burst through the front doors, panting a bit as the cold air of the night hit his skin. He ran as fast as he could, then skidded to a stop right below where he knew the Kazekage's office to be.

_"Naruto, if you - "_

Naruto leaned down and picked up the first thing he grabbed - then threw it with all his might at the window. As it fell, he realized that it was...a squirrel. He sweatdropped. _Oops._

He leaned down again, grabbed something, and flung that at the window, too. It appeared to be...another squirrel?

While Naruto was busy calculating the probability of grabbing two squirrels in the course of less than a minute, the window was opening.

He froze for about half a second, then ran. _Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!_ He didn't look back - he didn't have to, to know that Gaara was probably staring him down right now, about to stab him with a sand spear or something. He ran faster.

He slammed into something heavy and metal, and was knocked to the ground. A cat screamed right next to his ear, so he stood up and was about to start running again when he tripped over the metal thing again, making a loud 'BANG' upon hitting the street. He swore loudly, straightening up and performing a series of hand seals. He transported himself to the first location he thought of - the door he had previously smacked into.

When he opened his eyes, he was again standing in front of Kankurou's still-open door. With a mental sigh of relief, he stepped inside, then accidentally slammed the door behind him. He winced at the sound. Kankurou stirred, but didn't wake up. Naruto barely had time to say "Phew!" before Sasuke hissed, _"You idiot."_ Naruto tried to calm his breathing down. "Damn, I thought he'd see me for sure!" He grinned at his luck. Hey...Kankurou's window was open. He went to go close it, but stopped short when he accidentally looked out. He gasped audibly. "Sasuke...look outside."

There was a sigh, then the Uchiha apparently did so.

This was perhaps the best moment of the night.

Across from Kankurou's room sat the Kazekage office, the only room in the whole East Wing that was lit. The window of the room was still open, and sure enough, Gaara was standing there, without a shirt, and Hinata by his side. And man, was she a sight to behold.

That cute kimono he'd complimented earlier was slipping off her form, held up only by the now-loose obi and her delicate shoulders. Just like Naruto had imagined, her cheeks were a pretty shade of red. Her lips were parted slightly, and her hair was tousled.

The ever-observant boy was too wrapped up in the sight before him to even notice he was talking. "Damn, she looks...fuckable." He said to himself, leaning out the window to get a better look.

_"Naruto, you're thinking out loud again."_

Naruto jumped at Sasuke's comment, banging his head on the windowsill. "Shit!" He rubbed his aching head. "You...heard that?"

Were it anyone else, they would have berated him for saying that at all. Had it been Sakura, she would've screeched, "Pervert!" Had it been Kiba, he would've appeared at Naruto's door in less than two seconds and kicked his teeth in. Had it been Lee, he would've chastised Naruto for 'having such thoughts about the youthful Hinata-chan'.

But all Sasuke said was, _"Be glad the Hyuga didn't."_

He appreciated Sasuke's uncaring attitude at times like these.

Naruto chuckled. "Ehehe...yeah - you wouldn't...you know..." He swallowed. He very suddenly remembered what Sasuke had done in the desert, provoking Sakura. Naruto had seen it in his eyes: _I know you like her. Now, what could I do with this information?_

"...tell her, that I said that...would you?" He waited anxiously for Sasuke's answer.

_"No. That would serve me no purpose." _Of course - telling Hinata that Naruto had called her 'fuckable' would not benefit Sasuke in any way. Yet another thing he sometimes appreciated about Sasuke (sometimes): his disinterest towards anything that didn't help him in some way.

Naruto laughed, gratefully. "Thanks, man! You're the best!"

Over the transmitter, there was a knock at the door. Naruto listened silently, curious.

A little girl's voice. _"Uh, hello?_ _Temari-sama told me to check up on you. Is there...anything you need?"_ She sounded sort of frightened. Naruto didn't blame her, whoever she was - his best friend could be a scary guy. He heard Sasuke walk to the door and open it. _"I need you to take this to the Kazekage."_ Again, that totally cold, dead voice. There was a pause, and Naruto imagined the girl swooning in the prescence of the 'great and mighty Sasuke'. He stepped away from the window and leaned against the wall, irked.

_"Can you do that?"_ Sasuke, again, breaking the girl's hypothetical reverie.

There was no answer, but a moment later, the sound of small, fading footsteps came over the radio. Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "What was that all about?" He asked, incredulous.

He could almost hear the condescension in Sasuke's tone. _"Helping Hinata...hopefully more effectively than you."_ Naruto huffed. "Hey! I helped..." He paused, then backtracked. "...sorta."

When there was no answer, Naruto closed his eyes. "I really like her, Sasuke," is what he said. He was serious - he needed to talk to someone about it, even someone like Sasuke, who absolutely scorned feelings.

There was a pause on Sasuke's part. _"I know,"_ he said, and Naruto's suspicions were confirmed. He knew, but he wouldn't do anything about it. The blonde looked up at the ceiling, deliberating. "I wanna be with her." His voice was dead-set. He wasn't kidding around.

_"Then ask her out, baka."_

Naruto almost wanted to laugh at Sasuke's answer, even though he knew, for the Uchiha, that it was completely logical. If Sasuke wanted a girl (or a boy), all he had to do was ask them out, or even tell them he liked them...and they would fall at his feet. It was simple, for Sasuke, because almost every girl (and a few boys) he'd ever encountered was in love with him, or strongly attracted to him. With the exception of Hinata, that is...that was why Naruto felt safe, talking to him about her, because Hinata had never shown a romantic interest in Sasuke, and Sasuke sure as hell hadn't shown _any_ interest in Hinata.

"What if she says no? What if she likes someone else? I mean, I rejected her, after she confessed..." He fell silent, and remembered the way she had stood up to Pain, ignoring his pleas for her to get out of there, and then telling him that she loved him...he'd been thunderstruck by it. All this time, he thought that no one had liked him - and here was a nice, intelligent, pretty girl who said that she did. But...he was reminded of his goals, his unchangeable goals...his goal was to win Sakura's heart, and Hinata was not Sakura.

_Stupid, stupid boy,_ he thought, a bit bitterly.

Sasuke seemed to be following the same thought path. _"You really are oblivious."_ He snorted, and there was the slight scraping of a chair pulled across the floor.

Naruto blinked, still staring up at the ceiling. "Huh?" he asked, confused.

Sasuke didn't answer for a long time. When he did, his voice was slow. _"What about Sakura?"_ Naruto didn't even care that he had changed the subject - it wasn't like it really mattered. What about Sakura?

He glanced back down at the sleeping Kankurou, who by now really did look dead.

"I...I don't know, Sasuke," he said truthfully. "When we were in the desert...and she said those things...was it because she..." He trailed off. He'd never thought that Sakura would love him. Because just like Naruto, she was determined. She had set her goals. And her goals did _not _include Naruto.

"What if she does love me? What do I do? I love her...and I love Hinata..." He let his shoulders slump. Sasuke didn't answer, so Naruto continued, a little unsure of what he was trying to say. "I think I'll always love Sakura. But...I love Hinata more. Sakura was my first love, ya know? But with Hinata, you feel - " He stopped, and looked up again, as if searching the air for the right words. He couldn't find them, and he was reminded that although Sasuke listened, he couldn't really sympathize. He wasn't in love with anybody, much less a girl like Hinata.

"...well, I guess I can't explain it." He chuckled at the thought of trying to make Sasuke see why he loved the Hyuga; it was an impossible task. "You haven't ever loved someone...not like that, right?"

Sasuke didn't hesitate to agree. _"No."_ His voice betrayed nothing, but Naruto didn't think that he was lying. Both of them were silent for a very long time. At first, he thought that Sasuke was pondering what Naruto had said. But it was a bit too long of a pause for that...what was he doing?

Out of nowhere, Sasuke growled.

Naruto frowned. "Oi, Sasuke! Helloooo? Are you even listening to me?"

There was more silence, so Naruto gave up. Sasuke was obviously preoccupied with his own thoughts, whatever they were...he had only the smallest understanding of what Sasuke thought about, and usually, he was wrong. Sasuke was predictably unpredictable, that much was true.

He spoke again. "Hey, teme..." He looked to the floor, and scuffed it with the toe of his shoe. "Do you think anyone else likes Hinata?"

There was no reply for a moment, and Naruto was ready to turn the radio off, when Sasuke answered, in a voice that even Naruto couldn't decipher. _"Maybe_._"_

Naruto stared hard at the floor. Did Sasuke know something he didn't? Maybe the Uchiha had figured out that someone else had eyes for the Hyuga heiress. He didn't pursue - he knew that Sasuke wouldn't tell him, anyway. But if that was so, he had competition...

He stopped scuffing the floor, and turned to the window, staring out at the clear sky of Sunagakure. He would not be beaten - he wouldn't give Hinata up, now that he'd found someone like her.

He gripped the windowsill, a sense of purpose building in his chest. The stars stared back at him, as if challenging him.

Uzumaki Naruto had a new goal.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Me: **Ooooh, now Naruto's going for Hinata!

**Naru: **(thumbs up) She'll pick me for sure, dattebayo!

**Sasu:** (calls from inside closet) Mmmfthemmfghnnnn!

**Naru**: (raises eyebrows) Sorry, Sasuke - I can't hear you over the sound of ME WOOING HINATA!

**Gaara:** Where do I fit in all of this?

**Me:** ...you don't. But you do confront Hinata in the next chapter.

**Naru:** Le gasp! Does Gaara know?

**Me:** Um...kind of? You'll have to find out. Shino, will you do the honors?

**Shino:** If I must. (pushes glasses up his nose) ...review.

**Me:** That was...anti-climactic. Bye, everyone!


	17. Update: Please Read

**Me:** Okay...so I have an announcement. I haven't updated this story in forever because, well, I'm stuck. I have the next chapter pretty much finished...but I got ahead of my plotline plans and started giving hints about future chapters that I never fulfilled. I know that must have been really frustrating...so I'm taking a little break, just to catch my notes up and think everything through before I go making promises I can't keep. Thank you for being patient with me, I really appreciate it. If you have any complaints, or you want to point out an instance where I made a mistake, please tell me. I really enjoy your reviews, lots of you guys actually have helpful things to say about this story. Anyway, for your patience, I'll give you a sneak peak at the next chapter.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Sasuke didn't look away from the window. "You and Naruto will track down Hairuko." He paused, then continued. "I will stay behind with Sakura."

Hinata immediately colored at the thought of Naruto and her...alone...with no one else around...probably sleeping in the same tent...

"I-Iie!" she protested verbally, not realizing she had said it out loud before it was too late.

The avenger tensed, noticeably this time. Slowly, he turned his head back in her direction, his face unreadable. "No?" He said quietly. Hinata pressed her index fingers together. "I...didn't m-mean to say that..." she admitted weakly. Sasuke scrutinized her in a way that made her feel as if he could read her thoughts. "You and Naruto will go." He said after a time, speaking in a low voice. "You are imperative to the mission as a tracker, and Naruto knows these lands better than I do." Hinata hung her head and nodded, ashamed.

Sasuke's face, lit halfway by the dim lamp, turned away from her again, throwing his features into darkness. "Your room is across the hall," he said, in the same low tone.

The Hyuga bit her lip, bowed, and exited swiftly.


	18. The Plan

**Me**: Thank you guys for hanging with me. I looked over the reviews I got since I posted the update, and for the most part, they were really nice - I'm so happy you still have faith in me, even though I'm lame and can't post chapters. XL

Here you go!

**Song of the day: Boys Wanna Be Her by Peaches - Temari**

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

A hotel room.

Lovely.

Hinata stared, frozen, at the bed, her arms hanging uselessly at her sides.

It wasn't like there was anything terribly wrong with it - it was just a bed, a bit on the small side, with a dark blue comforter and an old wooden headrest. It was situated in the middle of the room, illuminated by the lamp on the bedside table. No, it was actually quite an ordinary bed.

But Hinata was not focused on the bed. Rather, she was focused on the fact that it was occupied - and the person who was occupying it.

Dark eyes stared back at her, a bit tired, but mostly incredulous. "Is there something wrong?" Sasuke asked her, seeming completely at ease. Hinata shook her head 'no' slowly, still staring at him; or, more accurately, his bare chest.

Sasuke followed her gaze, and inwardly smirked. "Is there any reason you're in my room?" He inquired calmly, leaning back against the headrest, and Hinata seemed to come back to reality. A shaking hand immediately shot up to cover her eyes. "U-Ummm..." she said intelligently, feeling like she might pass out.

First Gaara, now Sasuke? She feared she might die from overexposure to pure male sexuality.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at her shyness. _Ah well. If it was Sakura, she'd still be eye-raping me._ first thing's first, though. "Did you get the key?" He sat up fully in the bed.

Hinata turned away from him slightly, avoiding his eyes, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "...y-yes," she said finally, her voice just a squeak. And all at once, her chin quivered, her eyes watered, and she looked like she might cry.

Sasuke wasn't stupid. But before this he hadn't taken into account one tiny detail. It hadn't struck him before now that Naruto's scene and his diversion might not have been enough of a distraction. Maybe Hinata had been forced to go through with it anyway...

Anger tore through him like a tsunami. No. If this was true, he would _kill_ the Kazekage, alliances be damned. No one messed with Sasuke Uchiha's property - no one messed with _Sasuke Uchiha._

...property?

"Hinata," he said in a hard voice, and she turned back to him, a little startled. "Did you and the Kazekage have sex?" He said it bluntly, watching her expression go from despair to confusion to mortification. "N-No!" she denied, shaking her head from side to side.

Sasuke's shoulders relaxed unnoticeably. "Then how did you get the key?"

Hinata cast her eyes downwards. "I don't w-want to...talk about it," she said in a quiet voice.

The Uchiha stared at her for a moment, before accepting her answer. Well, if she had the key, and she was safe...he mentally face-palmed. What did he care if she was safe or not? And when had she become his _property_?

Hinata timidly interrupted his thoughts. "A-Ano...what do we do n-now?"

Sasuke looked at her, licking his lips. "For starters, you can step out of that kimono..."

...is what he almost said. _Damn it, Sasuke._ "Did you read the note I sent to Subaku?" He asked her. When she shook her head, he sighed. "One of us will stay behind with Sakura, to make sure she recovers." He looked out the window, rubbing his jaw. "The other two will infiltrate Suna's record room for information, and then depart to locate the target."

Hinata, curious, further questioned him. "Who will stay behind?"

Sasuke didn't look away from the window. "You and Naruto will track down Hairuko." He paused, then continued. "I will stay behind with Sakura."

Hinata immediately colored at the thought of Naruto and her...alone...with no one else around...probably sleeping in the same tent...

"I-Iie!" she protested verbally, not realizing she had said it out loud before it was too late.

The avenger tensed, noticeably this time. Slowly, he turned his head back in her direction, his face unreadable. "No?" He said quietly. Hinata pressed her index fingers together. "I...didn't m-mean to say that..." she admitted weakly. Sasuke scrutinized her in a way that made her feel as if he could read her thoughts. "You and Naruto will go." He said after a time, speaking in a low voice. "You are imperative to the mission as a tracker, and Naruto knows these lands better than I do." Hinata hung her head and nodded, ashamed.

Sasuke's face, lit halfway by the dim lamp, turned away from her again, throwing his features into darkness. "Your room is across the hall," he said, in the same low tone.

The Hyuga bit her lip, bowed, and exited swiftly.

Next door, Naruto, hands folded behind his head, stared up at the ceiling with an expression of surprise, happiness, and confusion...but the most prominent emotion on his face was harrowing, crushing doubt.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Gaara stared at his plate of tamagoyaki **(1)**. literally 'grilled egg', Japanese omelette made by rolling together several layers of cooked egg.

"Kankurou," he said suddenly, not looking up from the food, "have you seen my key?"

Kankurou, who had been scarfing down cereal, stopped mid-bite, swallowed, and said, "The one for the meeting room?"

"No."

"The one for the interrogation room?"

"No."

"The one for the bathroom?"

Gaara looked up at his older brother. "No. The record room key."

Kankurou looked confused for a second, and then his eyes lit up. "Oh! You mean the one you keep in your pants!" He chuckled at his own stupidity. "I almost forgot there was one - I mean, no one ever sees it or anything..."

Gaara rested his chin in his palm. "It is missing. Would Temari have it?" he monotoned.

Kankurou wrinkled his nose. "Why would she? She hasn't had access to your pants, right?" Still looking a tiny bit weirded out, he said, "When was the last time you saw it?"

Gaara answered immediately, as if he had been expecting the question. "When I was dressing for the party last night."

Kankurou raised an eyebrow. "O...kay...and you didn't take your pants off at the party, right?"

Gaara's expression stayed stoic, but his baritone voice took on a skeptical quality. "You were with me the entire time," he reminded the puppet-user. Kankurou held up his hands in protest. "Hey! There was that one time I went to the bathroom!"

The redheaded Kazekage's lip curled slightly. "You were gone for about thirty seconds before you came back and said you could hold it."

"A lot can happen in thirty seconds." Kankurou raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Gaara sat there a moment, before standing up from the table. Kankurou blinked, then said, "Hey, where ya goin'?" Gaara didn't look back as he walked out of the kitchen.

"I have someone I need to talk to."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Naruto was staring.

Naruto was staring at _her_.

Hinata fidgeted, trying to ignore what felt like couch-sized butterflies in her stomach. His blue eyes had not once wavered from her while they were eating breakfast. He chewed very slowly, resting his chin in his palm and keeping an uncharacteristically blank face. She quickly looked down at her own scrambled eggs, untouched and getting sort of cold. How could she eat? It felt like Naruto was performing a soul autopsy on her!

Sasuke set his fork down. "Naruto, you look like you want to eat Hinata." He said, narrowing his eyes at the blonde.

Naruto finally turned his gaze away from the Hyuga, and she released a breath of air she wasn't aware she'd been holding. Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Sorry...it's just..." He looked back to Hinata, and his expression was thoughtful this time. "Something's wrong." He peered at Hinata suspiciously. "You okay, Hinata-chan? You seem nervous about something."

Hinata blinked owlishly at Naruto. Since when was he perceptive? "U-Ummm...I'm just n-nervous about the m-mission..." she half-lied. Well, she was nervous about the mission; but she was more concerned with being alone with Naruto for an extended period of time...with no living person in sight for miles...and one tent...

_Oh my Kami, the tent..._

Hinata suddenly turned bright red, and stood up so quickly her chair almost fell over. "I h-have to go p-pack!" She squeaked, then fled.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Did I say something?" He asked his friend.

Sasuke didn't say anything, but set down his fork. "You should pack as well," he commented. Naruto frowned. "Way to be concerned, teme. It's like you don't even care about Hinata-chan." He stood up as well, taking his plate and Hinata's, and walking to the sink.

Naruto thought he might have heard something like, "That's the point..."

...but he was probably imagining things.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"So...how are we going to do this thing?"

Sasuke looked up, spying Naruto, who was fiddling with his backpack. "What are you talking about?" he questioned. Naruto looked up, momentarily distracted from trying to untangle the backpack straps. He waved his free hand about vaguely. "You know...getting into the records room."

Sasuke went back to writing their report. "We'll split up. Once we're inside the Kazekage complex, you'll take the main hallway, past the meeting rooms and the Subaku family's main quarters, and the Hyuga and I will take the hallway through the left wing. Our cover is that we are going to the aviary for a messenger hawk." His gaze unwillingly traveled in Hinata's direction, catching a glimpse of her troubled face as she prepared food for her and Naruto to take on their journey, before snapping back to his task. He resumed speaking. "We'll meet up in the records room. If any one of us encounters the Kazekage or his siblings, we'll know by who doesn't show up. If that happens, assume the worst, get the information, and leave."

Naruto, who had been quiet up until now, spoke. "Hey, why do I have to go alone?" His tone was more curious than whiney. Then, as an afterthought, he tacked on, "and why did you call Hinata-chan 'the Hyuga'?"

Sasuke's face twitched minutely. "Because _Hinata_ and I are less likely to interest anyone we might come across. You are meant to be a distraction, to draw attention away from us." He finished writing and rolled up the scroll, tucking it into his Jounin vest. "Any questions?" He asked, somewhat sarcastically, but Naruto answered anyway. "Yeah! What if you guys get held up?"

The Uchiha threw him a look. "The hope is that we won't," he reminded Naruto boredly. The Hokage-wannabe screwed up his face. "Whatever, Sasuke-teme." After a second, he asked, "but...what about Sakura-chan?"

There was silence for a minute. Hinata, previously quiet, was now mute, her hands frozen in position in the process of packing food. Sasuke stared at the floor, and Naruto waited patiently for an answer. "As soon as we get the information on Hairuko, the two of you are leaving." Sasuke let his back rest against the couch. "We don't have time for you to say goodbye." He looked at Naruto for a brief moment, his eyes conveying something Naruto couldn't quite understand. "You'll see her in Konohagakure when you get back."

Hinata opened her mouth, then closed it. She felt bad about not seeing Sakura, but what could be done? Besides, Sakura would have Sasuke watching over her...something Hinata was sure the pinkette would appreciate once she was awake.

She cast an apprehensive look in Naruto's direction. It couldn't be that bad, right? It's not like Naruto was scary, or out to get her...he was a friend, and he had no romantic inclinations towards her...

She didn't know whether to be grateful or disappointed.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

There seemed to be voices floating about in the nothingness around her, as if she was submerged underwater...but they were becoming a bit more clear with each passing minute.

The all-consuming, choking darkness also seemed to be fading, and there was a tingly feeling, spreading over _her_...

She felt herself twitch.

The tingly feeling spread slowly, consuming what she now knew to be her fingertips, crawling up her hands...

She twitched again, and the voices became sharper, more audible...

She could feel her arm, there was a sense of substance to it...she had a body, she was not just floating in space anymore...

There was now a tingly feeling elsewhere, and she dimly realized that it must be her toes. It was spreading, all over - she could feel her shoulder, her shins, her knees...

Her eyelids fluttered, but her eyes did not open.

_Am I...real? Am I...awake?_

A small, strained sound was heard throughout her darkness...it was quieter than the mumbling, unclear voices, but it seemed closer, as if someone were whispering to her...

With a dim relaization, she found that it was her. She made the noise.

Her garbled thoughts began congregating, becoming full sentences. She had substance, she had a body, she was a real person...

_I am real. I am awake._

Slowly, very slowly, her eyes opened.

She blinked at the harsh light. _A hospital?_ She could not see anything, just the bright lights above...white, clean...

The voices were sharp now, she could understand them...

" - don't think that she's - "

" - other three are leaving, maybe today - "

A pause, and then a feminine gasp.

" - awake! She's - "

The voices faded again, but she was satisfied. She was real, she was awake, and they knew it. She closed her eyes.

Haruno Sakura was _alive_.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

_Fuck. This._

There were times (times like these) when Sasuke was sure that he hated women.

One woman.

Hinata.

"S-Sasuke?"

"What." he said flatly.

"Are you...o-okay?"

He glanced at her. She was looking up at him with her soft white eyes, concern apparent. She reminded him of a subtler, more gentle Sakura.

Without the love behind her expression.

"I'm fine." He turned his head back to the hallway, irked that they could not teleport there and back without interacting with each other. Instead, they were stuck walking side by side, Hinata with her timid apprehension, Sasuke with his unmasked annoyance.

"Hyuga-san."

Both Konoha ninjas turned, to see the Kazekage walking towards them.

Sasuke grit his teeth. _This day just gets better and better._

Gaara barely glanced at Sasuke before he turned his attention to Hinata. "I need to speak with you."

Sasuke quickly looked at Hinata. Her face was blank, maybe a little curious...but she didn't betray anything. But he could see her tense, he could see her fingers curl. "O-Of course..." she hesitated. "Kazekage-sama."

It was then that Gaara finally acknowledged Sasuke. "I hope you don't mind," he monotoned in a way that said, 'you better not'.

Sasuke did not. He was almost glad that Gaara would be relieving him of Hinata's presence...at least for moment. "Iie." He responded. He looked at Hinata. "I'll meet you in the aviary," he told her.

Hinata looked for all her life like she thought she was going to die. "A-ah, okay..." she murmured, trying to keep her cool.

Sasuke walked away.

"Hinata."

The Hyuga jumped, winced, and turned to the former Jinchuuriki, meeting his cold, dead eyes.

"Come with me."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Me**: Okay, bad ending. I'm sorry. I'm really really really really really really really really really -

**Hina**: Uh...M-Monster-chan?

**Me:** - really really really really really really really really really really really really -

**Sasu:** I think we broke her.

**Me: **- really really really really really really really really really really really really -

**Shino**: ...Review.

**Naru:** Seriously, Shino. You are bad at convincing people to do things.

**Kanku**: I -

**Everyone**: DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT MAKING A DIRTY JOKE.

**Saku:** I'm back, baby! REVIEW!


	19. Patience

**Me:** Well...you asked for it.

No, literally; you asked for this. I'm sorry if you're a bit disappointed...my heart's just not in it anymore.

But, a reviewer of mine begged me to at least write another chapter, so I gave it a shot. xJugglingJoker, here you go. Schmanks for having faith in me!

Enjoy.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The way Hinata saw it, she was dead.

Like, dead dead.

Dead, as in, Gaara was going to murder her in the middle of an abandoned meeting room.

The redhead was staring her down at this very moment, thinking of ways, Hinata imagined, to end her life.

"Hinata."

She flinched at the sound of her own name, and Gaara tilted his head to one side.

He had led her here, away from the hallway, away from Sasuke, away from safety. He had opened the door, stepping aside so she could enter, and closed it behind them. She had turned away, not wanting to see his face, be it angry, disgusted, or homicidal...she didn't want to see the pain she had caused (if she had caused any pain at all). She had lied to him, deceived him...all for a mission.

Hinata heard Gaara move, and closed her eyes, waiting for him to accuse her, to strike her down, to do something –

But instead, she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning her back to face him. His brow was slightly furrowed, and she noted that while he was definitely taller than her, he was not quite as tall as Sasuke.

He cleared his throat, and she realized for the first time that he might actually be _uncomfortable_. "Was I not..." he murmured. "...good?"

It took Hinata a moment to understand what he was talking about, and when she did, she flushed. "O-Oh! No..." she averted her eyes. "Y-You were good." His face relaxed somewhat, and for the first time since she encountered him that day, Hinata felt a sliver of relief. He was only concerned about last night, and the fact that she left. Her grandmother had once told her that men were very concerned about such things.

She was slightly concerned about that, too.

After all, it had been...good, like she said. Really good.

She was blushing even darker now, and Gaara appeared amused. He removed his hand from her shoulder and gave her that same tiny smile that made her heart skip a beat. "I apologize," he said. "I did not mean to drag you away from your teammate, but I wanted to ask you." He looked her straight in the eye. "Are you the one who is staying here to look over Haruno-san?"

Hinata bit her lip, and shook her head. "N-No...Sasuke-san is."

Gaara looked mildly disappointed. "I see." His face returned to its neutral stoicism. "Then this is the last we will see of each other for a time."

Hinata gave him her own tiny smile. "Th-thank you," she said, and she meant it. For being interested in her, as a girl – as a woman. For initiating her into adulthood. For telling her she was beautiful.

Unexpectedly, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him. He was unmoving for a second, and then he hesitantly returned her embrace. She buried her face in his Kazekage robes, inhaling his masculine scent, the scent of Suna. The scent of Gaara. Sand and a slow-burning fire.

His own face was in her hair, and he sighed through his nose, tickling her scalp. "Thank you, as well," he replied quietly.

When they broke apart, Hinata averted her eyes, suddenly bashful. "Goodbye," she told him, voice a near whisper, and he nodded, crossing his arms once again.

She turned around, and walked towards the door.

"Feel free to return the key when you deem it necessary."

Hinata froze, hand on the doorknob, heart racing. She turned slowly, staring, frightened, at the Kazekage. His face was blank, and for one last moment, she truly feared Gaara no Subaku.

Then he smiled, a tiny, secret smile. "Don't worry." He monotoned. "I won't tell."

Hinata's wide eyes gradually relaxed, and she just stared in utter awe. Finally recovering, she ducked her head, nodded, and slipped out the door.

Gaara, alone in the room, closed his eyes and exhaled.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The tea was most certainly cold by now, but she didn't really mind.

Sakura took a sip, smiling slightly at the familiar flavor. Chamomile, one of her favorites. One of the nurses must have put it by her bed a while ago.

The door opened, and a female doctor walked in. "Haruno-san," she greeted, and Sakura smiled at her in reply. The doctor set down her clipboard on the bedside table, and sat down in the chair placed next to the hospital bed. She leaned forward slightly, and clasped her hands. "Do you remember what happened before you passed out?" She asked, gently.

Sakura looked down at her tea. Yes, she most certainly did. "Yes, I do." She replied.

The doctor purses her lips. "We have been asked to give you a psychological evaluation."

Sakura shook her head. "That won't be necessary. I'm sound of mind...now, at least." She gave another smile, but it was half-hearted, sad.

The other woman nodded after a moment. "I see. Just in case, we'd like to keep you in the hospital for another few weeks. I'm sorry, but...we will have to run some tests. Standard protocol."

Under the covers, Sakura's fists clenched, but she reminded herself that it was for the best. After all, she did delude herself into believing she and Naruto were in a romantic relationship.

...she probably should stay in the hospital a bit longer.

"Thank you," she told the doctor, and the brunette smiled tiredly, but kindly, and got up, taking her clipboard with her.

Sakura watched her go, and after a moment went back to her cold, cold tea.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Naruto had never considered Temari no Subaku one of his closer friends, but she had (almost) always been on his side. She was tough, strong, and talented. She could be callous, but those close to her knew she meant well. She was intelligent, almost as smart as Shikamaru – a good thing, too, because she was one of the only people who could get Shikamaru to get off his ass and do something. She was also very attractive, and a bit of a flirt...she was used to using her looks for her own gains, something that every kunoichi had eventually learned to do. Overall, she was a shinobi, and an ally, that Naruto admired.

Still, he was a little confused when Temari came stalking down the hallway, not even glancing at him, and grabbed him roughly by the collar, dragging him along with her. "Hey!" he protested, but Temari did not appear to be listening.

They wound up in her room, and faster than Naruto could ask 'are you going to hurt me?' Temari had flopped down on her bed, on her back, sighing exasperatedly. Naruto stood there for a second, feeling awkward, before Temari draped a hand across her face and pointed to a desk chair across from the bed, saying, "Sit down, kid."

Naruto did so, still incredibly confused. They sat in silence for a moment before Temari removed her hand and said, bluntly, "What do you know about Yamanaka Ino?"

Naruto had a very weirded-out look on his face – he knew, he could see himself in Temari's mirror. "Um...?" He half-asked. "She's Sakura-chan's best friend...her family owns a flower shop...she doesn't like sashimi...she had a crush on Sasuke for a long time, still cares about him...she's on a team with Chouji and Shikama – "

Temari groaned. "That's what I thought," she muttered. Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Huh?"

Temari turned her head, gazing at him, and Naruto was struck by exactly how attractive she was. She had dark green eyes, fair skin, sandy blonde hair...gosh. Shikamaru was one lucky guy.

Temari sighed. "The last time I went to Konoha, Nara invited me to a barbecue place with his teammates. I saw the way they acted around each other...they're so close, you know?" Yes, he did. "Sometimes it seems like she's flirting with him, and other times it seems like they have a brother-sister relationship going on."

She turned her gaze to the ceiling. "He's a crybaby, yeah, but he's _my_ crybaby." She frowned. "He told me he did once have a crush on her. When they were about fourteen." She chuckled. "I know it's stupid, because they were kids..." her face turned contemplative. "But that's the thing, they were kids. When they were fourteen, I was seventeen. They're the same age, aren't they? I'm older."

Naruto considered this. Yes, she was older, but Shikamaru needed someone older to keep him in line. Sure, Ino was pretty, gorgeous, even, but as far as Naruto was concerned, she and Shikamaru were like siblings.

...weren't they?

Temari's voice broke into his thoughts. Her expression was merely thoughtful now. She wasn't the jealous type...in fact, she seemed pretty cavalier about it all now. "Besides, crushes never really die, do they?"

Naruto looked down at his lap.

No, they didn't.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Sasuke was not really a patient person. Sure, he was calm, cool, collected – but when he had to wait, for ten minutes, with a bunch of noisy birds, for Hinata fucking Hyuga to appear after she was done talking with the Kazekage, he was not a flawless example of tolerance.

Not to say that Sasuke wasn't the tiniest bit concerned for her...or their mission. Gaara no Subaku was no idiot, and if he had somehow uncovered their plot, Hinata could be in trouble. But, like before, he couldn't risk giving away the mission.

So he stayed where he was.

With the birds.

Crossing his arms, he glanced at one nearer to him than the others. It cocked its head, and stared at him.

"Shut up," he muttered.

"Uchiha-san?"

It was Hinata's voice, he could tell by the softness, the slight lilt – and the fact that he could so readily identify it annoyed him to no end. Not even turning around, he said, exasperated, "Sasuke. It's Sasuke. No 'san', no 'sama', and for the love of Kami, no 'kun'."

Hinata did not reply. Sasuke did not care.

After a time, she said, "Sasuke," slowly, as if she was testing it out.

"Hn."

"The K-Kazekage...he...u-um..."

Now, Sasuke did turn around, and Hinata glanced at him shyly. A sparrow chirped.

He resisted the urge to Chidori it.

"G-Gaara...he...well, he – "

Sasuke's (really strained) patience was coming to an end. "_What_, Hyuga?" He almost snapped.

Hinata flinched minutely, and hesitated. "He...he wanted to know who was staying with Sakura-chan." She said, quietly. Sasuke was momentarily impressed at her lack of a stutter, but it vanished quickly and he eyed her critically. "What did you tell him?"

She gulped, and looked him straight in the eye, seemingly determined to carry out a non-stuttering, non-fidgeting conversation. "That Naruto-kun was staying."

"How did he react?"

Hinata opened her mouth to respond, but Sasuke, changing his mind, held up a hand, and she fell silent. "Never mind. I don't care. Let's just get Naruto so you two can go."

Ugh. He was going to spend whole weeks stuck here, in the sweltering heat of Suna, while he waited for Sakura to recover from her damn psychotic episode. Oh, and he was also going to be in the company of the Kazekage. Who he hated. With a fiery, burning passion.

...if it was possible for Sasuke to feel a fiery, burning passion for _anything_.

While they waited for Naruto, Hinata shifted uncomfortably, reverting to her old nervous habits, such as biting her lip, poking her index fingers together, and keeping her eyes trained on the floor. Sasuke was just growing more and more irritated with every passing second. _Naruto is fucking dead when he gets here. And could she look more on edge? I'm not going to eat her._

Hinata made a fist before her mouth.

Sasuke was on her in an instant, grabbing her hand and yanking it down to her side, a scowl on his features. "Will you _stop_ that?" He hissed.

Hinata flinched, and tried to stammer an apology, but Sasuke interrupted her. "Why are you always so fucking afraid of me? Did I ever hurt you? Huh?" His grip on her wrist tightened, and Hinata was stunned out of speech.

Sasuke's face was so close to hers. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered that her eyes did indeed have pupils; faint, lavender pupils, a tiny bit darker than her irises. They were slowly dilating, and for some reason his breath came out even harsher. "You are the most infuriating person I have _ever_ encountered," he snarled.

And then he crushed his lips against hers, ignoring her muffled cry of surprise, tired of waiting. He was _so_ fucking tired of waiting.

Sasuke Uchiha was not a patient person, and his patience had just snapped.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Me:** ...tadaa...

Eugh. I know. Long time between updates, short chapter. But, as I told you before, not totally in love with this story anymore. But apparently you guys like it...so I updated, as promised. Don't expect another one anytime soon. Like, maybe I'll update around this time next year, it being the Christmas season and all.

Anyway, tell me what you think of frustrated Sasuke. And the weird cliffhanger. And the Temari-tells-a-story interlude.

If you hate it, tell me so.

If you don't...tell me that as well.

Happy holidays!


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